Sydney mayoral candidate Yvonne Weldon wants dogs allowed in public transport, restaurants and shops

A mayoral candidate is pushing to allow dogs and their owners free reign, in an animal-friendly promise that would make this city world-class.

Man’s best friend could soon be a constant fixture on public transport, shops and eateries in Sydney, mayoral candidate Yvonne Weldon gets her way.

Sharing her campaign push to make the city the “world’s most pet-friendly city”, Ms Weldon told The Sydney Morning Herald she wanted dogs and other pets to be accepted into shops, cafes, public transport and restaurants.

“I think we can be more accommodating, and we need to be more inclusive, across the city, and pets are such a big part of our lives,” said Ms Weldon, who owns three dogs herself.

Yvonne Weldon wants dogs allowed on trains, in restaurants and shops. Picture: iStock

Ms Weldon acknowledged there would need to be health and safety protocols around the potential measure.

“We’d have to hold a community forum to look at health and safety to manage that in a healthy way,” she said.

“But there might be some way to have allocated areas in restaurants, so people don’t feel uncomfortable or judged.”

Yvonne Weldon is running to be the City of Sydney’s first Indigenous Lord Mayor. Picture: Justin Lloyd

On Instagram, Ms Weldon shared more details of her pet policy, which would also include a review of city planning to meet the needs of pet owners, an adequate amount of fully stocked dog waste bag dispensers and bins, and services and forums around pet health and safety and “responsible pet ownership”.

“I believed that well behaved pets should be welcome throughout the City of Sydney,” she wrote.

“If elected, I’ll take steps to make Sydney a truly pet-friendly city.”

This Saturday, November 5, Ms Weldon will be competing against six other candidates in a historic all-female ballot in the race to become the next Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney.

The other candidates are Angela Vithoulkas from the Small Business Party, Labor’s Linda Scott, Shauna Mary Jarrett from the Liberals, Sylvie Ellsmore from The Greens, and current Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

Ms Moore, Sydney’s longest-serving Lord Mayor, has held the role for 17 years and is seeking a fifth term.

In the 2016 election her party won a landslide victory with 57.8 per cent of the vote, with second-placed Liberal candidate Christine Forster on 18.95 per cent.