Frankston community push council to ditch 25-year CBD dog ban
Dog lovers have unleashed a bid to ditch a two-decade-long ban on canines in Frankston’s CBD, saying the “outdated” rule is “driven by the minority” and disadvantaging businesses. And the mayor is on their side. TAKE POLL
South East
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Frankston dog lovers are pushing to can the CBD dog ban.
After years of tug of war with Frankston City Council, members of the Frankston Community Noticeboard Facebook page penned a letter to Mayor Michael O’Reilly claiming the rule is “driven by the minority” and contributing to their suburb’s reputation of “being a little different”.
The group, which has more than 28,000 members, sent the plea on Saturday after an online poll drew heated debate from pet owners, with 76 per cent of people voting to unleash the ban.
It has been in place for more than two decades and the Leader believes Frankston is the only municipality in the state to have the rule.
The majority argued the “outdated” order is a disadvantage for cafe owners and also stops visitors passing through with pets from stopping and supporting small business.
Cr O’Reilly said he supported having the ban lifted and has advocated to have it overturned.
“Residents walking their dogs would like to come into the city centre for a coffee, a meal or to shop and most business owners believe it would be good for their businesses provided dog owners acted responsibly,” he said.
“In my opinion the ban is outdated and a backwards way of thinking. If we as a council are encouraging inner city residential development, we need to realise that people in apartments have animals too.”
In 2017, Cr Glenn Aitken brandished a jar of dog poo in chambers in a bid to keep a lid on the 25-year ban.
He feared the “hard evidence” as he put it — and scooped up from a nature strip near his Seaford property — would be replicated if the rule was dropped.
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Page administrator Dave Toffolon told the Leader it was unreasonable for the council to charge for pet registration while restricting where animals were allowed to go.
“We want to enjoy what Frankston has to offer along with our pets,” he said.
“If we have to pay for dog registration, then we should be able to walk our dogs through the CBD.”
Pomeranian lover Tegan Stait, who has owned pup Lulu for six years, said she felt like the community was “missing out” on the social aspect of walking in busy areas and eating out with pets, as enjoyed by people in Melbourne’s inner suburbs.
“Dogs are a big part of our lives … we love them like any member of our family,” she said.
“It’s a real disadvantage to cafe owners in the activity centre … we have to choose to go somewhere else.
“(Council) could put more bins and doggy bags around the activity centre. Most people actually do the right thing.”