Fremantle’s off-leash dogs: owners warned

wners warned

And dog owners are being warned to be more responsible following an incident near Rous Head earlier this month.

John, a North Fremantle resident, was jogging along the beach when a dog chased and attacked him, injuring his leg.

He said one of the biggest problems he noticed during his stints at the beach was a “total lack of consideration for the rules and rights of others”.

“Frequently when we swim anywhere along the beach from Leighton to Rous Head including Port Beach we encounter dogs on the beach that is designated dog free and rangers never seem to be around,” he said.

“Dogs race around with no restraint from owners and sometimes urinate on others’ belongings or bother others.

“When owners are approached they really couldn’t care less and seem to think their dogs are human and therefore allowed to do what they want and can be aggressive at times.”

City of Fremantle field services manager Matthew Piggott said the City had more than 3500 registered dogs and 20 approved off-leash locations, but they have had an increase in the number of incidents relating to uncontrolled dogs.

“Fortunately the majority of our dog owners are very responsible, with a small minority or irresponsible actions by dog owners resulting in injuries to other park users,” he said.

“Even in approved off-leash areas, the City encourages all dog owners to have effective control of their animal at all times.”