Activists snap back over threat to dogs' day out

By WAYNE THOMPSON

Dog rights activists say Auckland City animal control officers are trying to stop their protest against leash laws in a Ponsonby park on Sunday.

But the "Family Dog Day Out" at Western Park, off Ponsonby Rd, will go ahead at noon regardless of a council warning that the event will be monitored, said DOG president Cathy Casey.

She was "stunned" when a city official said there was concern that the group, which represents 500 dog owners, was planning an event which broke a bylaw and would not be responsible dog ownership.

The official said the bylaw banned dogs from within 10m of playgrounds or a public assembly.

Use of the park for an event had to be booked with the council's events and film facilitation department.

Dr Casey said she was not sure whether a gathering of dogs and owners fitted the bylaw's definition of a public assembly, but it was going ahead.

She was told animal control officers would monitor the rally to ensure dogs were under control and not fighting each other.

Tension has risen between DOG members and the council over its review of parks where dogs can be unleashed. There was a public outcry over dog attacks earlier this year.

City environmental health officer Jacqueline McDougall said she did not contact Dr Casey to try to stop the protest.

Her aim was to highlight the ban on dogs at public assemblies and to ensure activists were not encouraging dog owners to break the bylaw.

She was now satisfied that the gathering was not a public assembly and would not interfere with any event booked for the park.

Officers would make a routine patrol of the park she said, but would not be out in force and would not make a special trip to the park.