Gone Sailing

Most of Barking Mad is having a break to warmer shores and will return by 10th August. We'll be in limited contact. Please be patient with your inquires and we'll be back soon.

"We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are" ~Tobias Wolf

21 July - OK and SORRY. I haven't yet written up the review of the brilliant Animal Law Conference yet - but we finally got the membership kits mailed! Thoughts from the conference are still prominent in my head. I've been thinking about how Australians love and adore our companion animals, yet allow the massive suffering of the animals we eat and export. I think of the pigs nursing piglets in sow stalls in which they can not move, or the chickens we eat having lived their whole life in a cage on a space of an A4 sheet of paper, never seeing daylight, never flapping their wings, and killed to be grilled by 12 weeks of age.

Barking Mad will continue to be a single-issue-party on the issue of ACCESS for the majority of Australians who are responsible pet owners; however, we are continually made aware of many other issues involving animals. More to come...just not sure when.

A big weekend working on memberships and the web. The patience and dedication of those who act on their beliefs is inspirational. Thanks to all who offer to help, I'm working on getting everyone involved and organised. For those in Sydney, I hope you can attend a meeting Tuesday afternoon (the 24th) - we may have phone links for those out-of-state. Be sure to send in your comments for the members section of the web, including any classified adds you may have. We had a great trip on the bus yesterday; it certainly will make life easier for those who don't have a car or choose public transport.

The good news is that we have a (NSW) state member willing to table our policies and issues. We have additional legal representatives to support our challenges to the existing laws. We have new information to help renters. We have people ready to take Barking Mad forward in South Australia and Queensland. CAPACITY PLANNING - I was asked once how I was preparing for it and the answer was, as the fact is, deal with it when it comes. It has arrived - HELP!

Capacity Planning - or HELP!

A big weekend working on memberships and the web. The patience and dedication of those who act on their beliefs is inspirational. Thanks to all who offer to help, I'm working on getting everyone involved and organised. For those in Sydney, I hope you can attend a meeting Tuesday afternoon (the 24th) - we may have phone links for those out-of-state. Be sure to send in your comments for the members section of the web, including any classified adds you may have. We had a great trip on the bus yesterday; it certainly will make life easier for those who don't have a car or choose public transport.

The good news is that we have a (NSW) state member willing to table our policies and issues. We have additional legal representatives to support our challenges to the existing laws. We have new information to help renters. We have people ready to take Barking Mad forward in South Australia and Queensland. CAPACITY PLANNING - I was asked once how I was preparing for it and the answer was, as the fact is, deal with it when it comes. It has arrived - HELP!

We have tele-communications again! Broadband has returned to Barking Mad. New members - your memberships are now being processed and you will receive your membership kits early next week. The member's area of the site is being revised. Send in your member notices for events or other classified adds.

Laws - really?

brought my lovely companion dog Pema with me into a local shopping centre today to test the NSW law that this is 'not prohibited' (i.e. 'legal') if I'm on the way to a pet shop, vet or similar establishment. What an amazing response we had. As I sat on a bench with Pema lying at my feet, people wanted to pet and chat to her, but between this socialising, one shop attendant told me he would be fined if the dog was there. I tried to enlighten him on legal-ease, but he was not to be enlightened. Pointing to the 'no dogs' sign on the door, he raved. Security was called. They were willing to be enlightened a bit. I invited them to call the police. Shortly later, a cop walked by, glanced over and went on his way. Pema was bored and fast asleep by this time. The 'no dog' sign appears to be a blatant violation of law. If it was REALLY about DOGS, then assistance and guide dogs would be prohibited too! Let me just say it was a quiet time at the shopping centre. Pema was on a short lead, our presence would have caused no impact had shopkeeper not gone off his face. Even then, our impact was minimal. The outcome is: the owner of the shop we were going to now understands the law (as written) and will have a chat to the off-his-face cafe person - and next time we will have an assistance dog with us AND the media.

Because I have a dog, I have a community.

Pema and I have been welcomed with open-arms to our new, small beachside community on the Central Coast of NSW. Having moved numerous times in my 40+ years, I have never had so many welcoming chats and invitations within the first week of arriving somewhere - and I've never had a dog when I've moved before.

At the beach this morning, rugged up with hat and scarf, the sunrise was welcomed by the human walkers, but probably unnoticed by the 10-12 dogs who were blissed-out on their morning jaunt. Since Pema is the new girl in town, I keep her on a lead while she gets to know the residents. Once the butt to nose dance is completed, she is free to romp with the other mutts. Meanwhile, those dog owners tell me about the community, about how dog-friendly they are, about the lake and the lagoon (and the flooding), about the best cafe, the Saturday routine of walk than coffee, and they introduce me by name to other dog owners.

We are indeed a social bunch. Many Sydney folks tell me they know other folks by their dog's names, but often don't know the 'owners' name. Thank you to everyone who is working with Barking Mad to make our place as pet owners in the wider society more welcoming. A brisk beachside walk in 9 degrees with playfull pooches (combined with Warrigah Council's 'dogs and beaches don't mix mantra) is all I need each day to keep lobbying and mounting legal challenges for a fair-share of public space.

Dog Friendly Beach

Moving! Barking Mad is relocating to a home/office in the bush 100 metres from a designated dog beach. What bliss for dog and owner. Telecommunications are proving to be slow - so we will be on dial-up only, and limited mobile coverage, until Telstra Next-G kicks in sometime next week. Thanks for you patience. New member kits are late - next week, promise

Top Drop Top Dog Drinking and Thinking Board

Members old and new - Welcome! The Barking Mad Top Drop Top Dog Drinking and Thinking Board is meeting on the evening of the 18th of July somewhere around Sydney city. We have much to sort out having just had abundant media coverage and excellent support from many (NSW) State members. We also have engaged coordinators for Victoria and Queensland and have interest in South Australia. If you can attend, email eedra@barking-mad.com.au

My heart is joyful and my eyes have feasted on the breathtaking beauty from a simple dog walk on Umina Beach. Happily working on the computer this morning between radio and print interviews, the puppy Pasha decided that I had done enough. A walk was required to save the house from puppy destruction! Off to the beach we go with Pema, to the south end of Umina.

What a glorious day! Warm water, one gentle surf break just in front of the surf club and the warm westerly wind flattening the rest of the bay. Puppy had an abundance of children to play with due to school holidays and the proximity of the caravan park. Pema had 20 dogs to play with and I got to talk to about 5 different people - what joy! Why are Sydney people denied this pleasure of walking dog on the beach?

Barking Dash Mad

BARKING HYPHEN MAD or should we be BARKING DASH MAD. Are we a dash mad or does the hyphen represent the dog lead? Either way, we are at barking-mad.com.au AND barkingmad.net.au AND shitonmyshoe.com.au (may change that to poo on my shoe....) Thanks for visiting.

Page 3 of the Herald

Herald page 3 - Thanks to all the members who contributed to this article. Thanks also to all the members who 'put their money where their bark is' and support the work of Barking Mad to increase our access to parks, transport, beaches and accomodation. If you are a responsible pet owner who wants a fair-go, please join us.