Owning a dog is a rewarding experience that brings joy, companionship, and countless memorable moments. However, with the privilege of dog ownership comes the responsibility to ensure the safety, well-being, and happiness of both your pet and the community. The Randwick City Council is committed to promoting responsible dog ownership, which involves understanding the needs of your dog, adhering to local regulations, and being considerate of others in shared spaces. This guide aims to provide dog owners with the essential information they need to be responsible, informed, and respectful members of the community.
From using off leash parks to carrying doggie bags, microchipping to calming anxious pups … Here’s what it takes to be a responsible dog owner.
A grassy plain bathed in afternoon sunlight, set behind cliffs overlooking the rollicking sea below – Burrows Park in Clovelly is undoubtedly one of the most scenic dog parks in Sydney.
Doting owners chat in groups of two or three while their dogs dart, chase and roll freely; with people and pooches alike relishing the salty seabreeze. Among them is Randwick local Hannah Carter and her three-year-old beagle cross border collie, named Rooster. “It’s a gorgeous spot,” says Hannah, admiring the outlook. “It does get a bit tedious walking Rooster on the leash, but at least here he can just run around and play with other dogs.”
Burrows Park is one of 16 off leash dog exercise parks throughout the Randwick City Council area. Everywhere else, dogs must always remain on a leash and failing to comply could result in a minimum $330 on-the-spot fine.
Photography by Mark Bond
Along with dogs roaming off leash, Council has received a spate of complaints about owners failing to pick up their dog’s faeces or dogs coming within 10 metres of a children’s playground – both of which are illegal under the Companion Animals Act (1998). Manager of Ranger Services, Duncan Scott, believes that while most people want to do the right thing, further education and awareness is needed.
He and his team have been out and about in problem hotspots, handing out leashes and doggie waste bags to ensure owners are across the rules. Duncan says that although some people insist their dog is harmless, it’s important to remember that public places are for everyone. “Some people may have phobias or they may have some kind of aversion due to a previous incident, where they don’t like dogs. And in that case, even a friendly dog can create issues for them.”
Other issues may also arise when one dog is on a leash and another is roaming free (when they’re meant to be leashed). Leashed and unleashed dogs can sometimes react unpredictably. Also some owners may decide to keep more difficult dogs permanently leashed – meaning an unleashed dog approaching them can be a recipe for trouble.
Photography by Mark Bond
Two steps to safekeeping
Being a responsible dog owner also means properly microchipping and registering your dog through a two-step process. By 12 weeks, owners must have their animal implanted with a microchip, which can be done by a vet or accredited implanter. They will also fill out a Permanent Identification form and then forward it on so the animal is entered onto the NSW Companion Register. Owners will then be sent a Certificate of Identification. By six months, owners must complete a lifetime registration form and send it to Council along with their copy of the certificate of identification. Once processed, owners will be sent a certificate of registration.
Each year, more than 150,000 dogs and cats are lost or stolen across the state. Duncan says that ensuring your dog is microchipped and registered with up-to-date details is “the biggest difference between getting a positive outcome [for a lost dog] or having to take the poor thing out to our animal care facility”.
If your dog has been a vocal opponent of your return to the office in the years following Covid lockdowns, it’s likely they’re experiencing separation anxiety. It’s an involuntary panic response to being left alone that may involve barking, whining, crying and howling, scratching, destroying furniture, digging out under fences and defecating or urinating uncontrollably.
Jenny Harlow, a certified anxiety trainer for dogs, says that while owners may feel overwhelmed by the issue, it can be resolved. “Dogs do get better. We teach a dog that, ‘When I walk out the door, you are safe.’ Often that means we start with walking out the door for a couple of seconds, and then come back in. If the dog’s doing well with that, we might go for five seconds and come back in.”
While it can be frustrating as a neighbour, Jenny says the best thing to do is pop a short note in the letterbox to let the owner know, as they may not even be aware. “It’s very easy to label a dog as a problem, as a nuisance and as a pest, but what’s happening with separation anxiety is the dog cannot do anything other than what they are doing. It’s a panic response. “Separation anxiety is a condition that doesn’t resolve of its own accord, so if your dog is struggling with being left alone the best thing you can do is get some help.”
