By Margaret Maccoll
Research shows well designed dog off-leash parks provide social and wellbeing benefits for both dogs and their owners and a visit by Noosa Today to a number of dog parks in Noosa this week showed locals echoed these sentiments.
University of Adelaide veterinarian Dr Susan Hazel said dogs that were well socialised and exercised were likely to be healthier, happier and less aggressive while research found off-leash dog parks provided safe community settings for dogs to play.
She said the parks also benefitted dog-owners through social contact with other dog owners.
“Australia has one of the highest rates of dog ownership in the world with 36 per cent of households owning a dog,“ she said. “But as back yards have become smaller and leash laws enforced in many areas, it has become more difficult to exercise dogs safely off the leash while still keeping them under effective control.“
Dog owners at off-leash areas from Dog Beach at Noosa Heads and Tewantin to Marcus Beach were glowing in their comments on their parks and the people and dogs using them, with few reports of problems, putting into context the positive experience our off leash areas provide in comparison to the occasional issue.
Cooran residents Paula and Danusha are regular visitors to Dog Beach where their dogs Buster and Dexter join other happy dogs swimming in the water and playing on the sand.
They like the safe space and the added attraction of the water.
“All the dogs are very happy and love the freedom,“ Paula said.“I can’t trust my dog not to run on the road. This is very special with a beach,“ Danusha said. Danusha said she had only once had an issue at a dog park when an aggressive dog pinned Dexter to the ground and its owners failed to respond at a park in Buderim.
Bruce McNeil brings his seven month old groodle Rosie to dog off-leash beach parks daily and says 99 per cent of dogs are fantastic. “You can pick certain dogs if they’re not socialised,“ he said.“We have no issues here,“ he said of Dog Beach. “It’s very important for me to have an off leash beach where dogs can play. Rosie is a very social dog.“
In Tewantin local residents told how the off-leash park had become a place to meet their neighbours as well as a place for their dogs to socialise.
“We love it here,“ Ros said. “People are responsible. Sometimes we get 20 dogs – having a big area is good.“
Lorrae said it was beneficial for the dogs and a good way to meet other people. “It’s good for a lot of people who are on their own,“ she said.
Lorrae’s 10-year-old Rottweiler Lily was very shy when they first visited but had become very social over time.
Marcus Beach dog area is a popular spot every morning for many locals, some having visited the beach with their dogs for decades with few concerns.
“We love it as long as people pick up after their dogs,“ one couple said. “It’s a calm, friendly environment. There’s no aggression. You don’t see any fights.“
“It’s fantastic,“ a group of long term dog walkers said. “Occasionally you get a dog off leash that should be on leash but it’s so rare it could happen anywhere.“
Sherri and her four dogs travel from Burpengary to Marcus each day for the safe, calm atmosphere. “It’s really nice,“ she said.
Across the parks dog owners were keen to express their support for their off leash areas, saying the positives far outweighed few issues.
