A PARKERVILLE resident who broke her hip after a dog knocked her over is calling for dogs to be kept on a leash at all times along the Railway Reserve Heritage Trail.
Debate surrounding whether dogs should be allowed to walk off leash along the 60km trail is continuing, with the public being asked to comment on a plan that would limit the hours a dog can be walked off-leash.
Under the proposal, dogs would be legally required to be on a leash between 10am and 4pm and would be able to be walked off-leash between 4pm and 10am.
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READ NOWLinda Paterson said for the safety of residents, dogs should be kept on a leash at all times along the trail.
“Early on Easter Sunday morning I was walking my two dogs near Parkerville Primary School when a great dane, off its lead, came bounding over,” she said.
“Its owner was far away and seemed oblivious to what the dog was doing.
“I was trying to walk away but in their excitement my dogs’ leads got tangled round my legs and I got pulled over.”
Mrs Paterson said she fell heavily and broke her left hip.
“I have had to have hip replacement surgery at the age of 51. I now have months of recuperation to go through, plus loss of earnings,” she said.
“I implore all dog owners to keep dogs on a leash at all times. I do not wish anyone to go through the traumatic experience I have been through.
“No owner sets out to cause injury or wrongdoing but my accident could easily have been avoided; as dog owners we need to be responsible.”
Shire of Mundaring councillors reached a decision on the location of approved dog exercise areas and also where they are prohibited at its council meeting on September 12.
Shire President David Lavell said the original proposal to identify suitable dog exercise areas was put to council earlier this year to give the community further clarification around where dogs could and couldn’t be exercised.
“A dog exercise area is a location where a dog can be exercised off-leash by someone who is capable of controlling the dog,” he said.
The Shire will seek further public comment on whether Mundaring Arena Oval should be a dog exercise area, as well as Lot 100 Hardey Road in Glen Forrest and two blocks on Chartwell Way in Swan View.
See the list of approved and prohibited dog exercise areas at www.mundaring.wa.gov.au.
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