Draft Plan for pets and public spaces

Consultation on the draft Domestic Animal Management Plan 2022-26 (DAMP) is expected to open on Thursday 17 March 2022, following Council’s consideration of the project at its 15 March 2022 meeting.

More than 2,150 community members had their say on pets and public spaces in October – November 2021. This feedback has been used to inform a draft Domestic Animal Management Plan for Bayside.

Insights from community research have led to proposed new actions and initiatives in the draft DAMP, which we’ll be seeking community feedback on through this next round of consultation.

Explore the consultation findings and read the Community Research Report

Read the draft Domestic Animal Management Plan 2022-26

What’s in the draft DAMP?

  • No changes to dog off-leash restrictions at parks and reserves, including off-leash sportsgrounds.
  • Work with local sports clubs and dog owners to improve safe, shared use of off-leash sportsgrounds, as well as trial outdoor lights at some sportsgrounds over winter to provide greater evening access for dogs.
  • Review dog off-leash restrictions at environmentally sensitive areas to better protect Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary while ensuring no net loss of off-leash areas provided for dogs at Bayside beaches.
  • Transition to cat containment (day and night) for the safety of cats and native wildlife. Upcoming community consultation will explore this proposal further to better understand the level of community support for different definitions of and approaches to cat containment.
  • Review the desexing rebate program to encourage puppy registrations
  • Establish community working groups to strengthen partnerships and provide ongoing community feedback on domestic animal issues.
  • Improve information and support for pet owners with more frequent communication, events, training incentives, and smarter signage.
  • Increase patrols of reserves and foreshore during key times, such as summer and sport seasons.

Please note that these actions in the draft Plan are only proposed at this time. Community feedback on these actions will be gathered and considered, and the DAMP amended as required, before Council considers adopting a new DAMP at its 17 May 2022 meeting.

/Public Release. View in full here.