WANDERING DOGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22708, 22 October 1935, Page 7

WANDERING DOGS

PORT CHALMERS COMPLAINT COUNCIL TO TAKE ACTION The question of dogs roaming about the town again claimed attention at last night’s meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council, when Cr L. G. Jack referred to what he termed a general nuisance in the business area. “ The town has often been referred to as ‘ Dog Town,’ ” said Cr Jack, “ but the name really originated because Port Chalmers was the home of ‘ sea dogs.’ Times, however, have changed, as dogs of all breeds now roam all over the place.” Cr Jack submitted a report which showed that there were over 100 registrations of dogs in the borough last year, whereas there were only 50 registrations this year. The council would have to collect the remainder of the fees somehow. A number of dogs in certain parts of the town had not been registered during the past three or four years. The council was there to look after the interests and the health of the residents. Dogs were creating a nuisance and something would have to be done. It was a menace to health to have dogs roaming about the business section of the town. Then again these roaming dogs were a menace to children, as the latter were always in danger of being attacked; also there was the menace of roaming dogs to motorists. Naturally a motorist tried to avoid striking a dog, but he was not always successful. If the council adopted the motion he intended to move, there would probably he opposition from owners of dogs, but any man who loved his dog could keep it under control. He did not mean that a man should keep his dog on a. chain all day, but every dog-owner should be compelled to take stops to prevent it roaming round the streets, especially in the business area. There was ample room to exercise a dog, as an owner had a clear field between Port Chalmers and Dunedin and in other directions. He did not intend that his motion should place any hardship on owners of dogs, but he did insist that the council should take steps to compel all owners to register their dogs and to prevent them roaming the streets.

Cr Jack then moved that a by-law be framed and submitted to the council for adoption prohibiting owners allowing dogs to wander at largo on certain defined streets in the borough. The motion was seconded by Mr R. Willmott and carried. Several councillors mentioned incidents where children had been knocked down by roaming dogs, and said that Cr Jack was to be commended for bringing the matter before the council.