Barking Dogs - How to Share the Joy

Response to recent media on dogs barking.

I too am frustrated by urban residents who permit their dog/s to bark unnecessarily. Even in semi-rural areas, the sound of a dog barking pierces a quiet, peaceful night. It is no longer accepted behaviour, though it is as organic to some dogs as talking on a mobile phone in public is for some people.

But annoyances should be viewed in context. Unlike the ubiquitous and more annoying car or house alarms, the benefits of the companion dog cannot be underestimated. Though some will abhor the choice of expensive accessories, the economic contribution of $4.6 billion annually from pet owners should not be overlooked. Think about this number the next time our government cancels a $500,000 project to your disgust. Alternatively, consider that this is a greater contribution than fishing/forestry combined. Though fish don’t bark, fishing has its own pros and cons, including beach and sea litter.

Quoting NSW Dept. of Health: Animals visit older people in nursing homes, young people in paediatric wards, trauma victims in acute care wards, and people under care in mental health and palliative care services. They provide comfort, entertainment, distraction, solace and a unique form of interaction. The benefits of these visits are well established and comprehensively documented.

There is no such comparison of an public-health benefit for other urban noise such as alarms, diesel buses, pool pumps, the neighbours air conditioner, etc.

As our homes get smaller, and single-person homes become the majority, the solace and motivation a companion dog provides to get out and walk must not be negated just because dogs bark.

It's said that 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name (SMH Letters, 17 April); I would suggest 10% of dog owners annoy others so much as to blind them to the proven benefits of pet-ownership.

Banning dogs from every public space doesn’t work. In Europe dogs are better-behaved and invited into more community spaces. We live in a pluralistic society; if you are annoyed by a dog barking, why not offer to co-parent or pet-sit, then you can share the joy. If the dog is happier or not alone as much, it’s likely to bark less. If this doesn’t work, for the benefit of us responsible owners, throw the noise-regulation book at them. 'Thou shalt not be annoyed by a nuisance dog' has a place is legislation - truly.

Another win in court

Remember when we got dragged of the bus and arrested by three pushy cops who were called by the State Transit Officers who didn't even know the regulations they are suppose to enforce?
Daily Telegraphy Story

State Transit pursued their prosecution of me even after the Transport Minister confirmed the regulations. What a WASTE of time and court resources. And they lost, their case was dismissed. Fools? Thugs in uniform? Illiterate? A transit authority that wants LESS passengers on their services in off-peak periods? Back to fools.

READ THE APOLOGY FROM THE TRANSPORT MINISTER, WRITTEN IN APRIL 2008 - IT DIDN'T STOP THEM FROM PROSECUTING.

Our most recent day in court

Bias: a personal view that has the tendency to interfere with the ability to be impartial, unprejudiced or objective. Bias is not something the general public expects from a judge - or do we?

What a fascinating day! With a full court room waiting for more than 30 minutes past the scheduled start time, a judge walking in late without so much as an apology, a judge with a 'good' reputation, but known to be 'grumpy', a judge with a strong Labor past, we were in for a day of surprises - and a good display of 'grumpy' and 'past'.

If you actually get to have your matter heard on the day it is scheduled, you're lucky (a bit like our hospitals perhaps?) So in that way we were lucky. First up was a team of 4 lawyers and barristers getting their matter adjourned until tomorrow. Took a few minutes and probably cost the clients $5000 combined. As a criminal matter, those clients legal costs may well be paid by the tax-payer!

What would YOU do with $5000? These guys charge for a full day in court, even if the entire day was spent waiting. Can we charge our doctors for the hours we wait?

We've been waiting for this day for nearly two years; since our legal assembly on Long Reef Beach back in May 2007. Without getting technical, our system of government invites and respects protests and criticism (think the Opposition). Even without a bill-of-rights, this expression is long established in case law and even statute. The Right of Peaceful Assembly by R.M. Hope QC.

Barking Mad conducts our assemblies legally - they are 'authorised' by law which means with permission of the commissioner of police. This allows us to express an opinion peacefully, without menace. However, as we've said and continue to say, Warringah has been successfully menacing with us for quite some time.

If an authorised public assembly is held in the way it was approved by the Commissioner, a person is not guilty of any offence relating to participating in an unlawful assembly . . .if done for the purpose of participation. Reference.

PS: 14-April-09 The cost-effectiveness of being a criminal. Our District Court appeal was dismissed so we're off, two years after having a dog on a beach, to the next court up.

And, what everyone has asked about this day in court: It was Judge Finnane who showed us an amazing display of judicial intelligence (or some other term that makes it ok for judges to show what 'normal people' would call bias).

After judgment and before the sentencing, for the purpose of leniency, I was explaining my extensive environmental contributions in the fields of organic waste, composting, corporate environmental management and computer recycling . But I was interrupted with the rhetorical question: HOW CAN YOU BE FOR DOGS IF YOU ARE AN ENVIRONMENTALIST - DOGS DEFECATE, DOGS BITE. And I said, we defecate too, every day if it's a good day! (And I'm not sure how you eat your steak, but I like to bite mine). We await the transcript. We point you the reader to all about dog poo...

Read the continuing story and our very exciting next action on the members web.

New poster and membership form

Download our brochure and membership form and let your friends know that we CAN create pet-friendly communities.

Sponsor Wanted: Dogs in Advertising

It's really annoying to see how companies who can afford advertising use dogs to sell their product or service. It's annoying because these dogs are often in places where 'no dogs are allowed.' It's annoying because a false impression is created, such as a new housing development in Randwick Council showing an off-leash dog playing on the adjoining beach. Even the TV series Home and Away has dogs on the beach where us normal folks are told not to The last Federal election had an off-leash dog on the cover of the election guide, in 2008 and 2009 dogs have featured in Reg Mombassa's classic images created for Australia Day.

So, help us compile this list. We're going to target these organisations for sponsorship and to advertise honestly!

1. Tropical Pineapples No kidding, click to view the TV ad.
2. XXXX Beer - off leash dog on beach, near pub. View.
3. More Beer - view
4. And More Beer - dogs in the pub.
   
5. A VW CAR - view
6. Softdrink - view
7. Electricity Supply - view
8. A shipping company.
9. Paint. And another one from Hungary.
10. Toilet Paper.
    
11. Warringah Council web site - dog off leash walking on track in an area where rangers regulatrily issue fines.
12. Warringah council - had a dog on beach photo on the web until the day before Barking Mad's assembly at Curl Curl Beach.
13. Channel 7: Home & Away - dog on beach in Pittwater Council.
14. Still more Beer (USA)
15. Yes, more Beer, very funny.
    
16. Another Car
    
17. A vacuum! (USA)
18. Insurance (Queensland), also funny. Thanks for sending this one to us!
    

The Good, the Dog and the Ugly

We have draconian dog laws. Dog on an empty beach at 7am with their responsible owner is fined more than parking in a pedestrian crossing in school zone! It does not make sense and such a fine does not take into account the REAL risk or public nuisance factor.

Barking Mad has been researching for our public transport briefing/policy document. Are pets a public health risk; and if so, how? What about allergies, and how important it is to consider this with pets on public transport and in public spaces? I prefer logic to rhetoric, though the latter (think talk-back radio, MirandaNotDevine, media that makes an emergency out of everything) gets much more airplay. Often that rhetoric turns into public policy, and that is good for no-one in the long term.


I've had this data to hand for some time, and with hesitation, I now put it out to you, the reader. A child is at a greater risk of harm from their parent than from a dog. More children die at the hand of their parent than by a dog each year; a tragic but politically repulsive fact.

Each year about 300 Australian children (aged 0-14 years) are killed and 60,000 hospitalised by unintentional injuries (accidents). 75% of these come from just four causes: car crashes, pedestrian accidents, drowning and house fires. (Children under 5 and the elderly are at the greatest risk from a dog related injury, so appropriate measures are still required).

If we followed the numbers about risk logically we would ban the car, ban walking where we have cars, ban swimming pools and access to the ocean and water if we want to keep our children immune from risk. Although we have fenced most of our rail tracks in urban areas, we have yet to fence around every other risk. Logic is not the main driver of legislation.

Death resulting from dog-related injury is a rare event. During the seven year period 1997–2003, 11 deaths were registered as being due to this cause.

Reports on the number of lives saved, such as a relatively common event of a dog alerting an owner to the presence of a venomous snake, or barking at an intruder would be useful for comparison, but this data is not available. The story of a dog protecting a child from an Eastern Brown Snake can be found here and a similar story of a dog and an adult here.

It is important to consider the public health risks of pets, dogs in particular, in context. The media has been the dog’s worse enemy, creating public outcry that some short-sighted politicians have responded to with poorly thought out laws. Consider:

Abuse, Crime

• 6 people are killed, by people, each week – a total of 319 in 2006
• 465 people are assaulted by people each day; that’s 171,000 in 2006
• 50 people are sexually assaulted every day; 18,211 a year.
• 331 people are violently robbed each and every week
• In 2006, there were 207,446 incidents of violent crime, over 550 each day.

Vehicles

• 1616 people died on our roads in 2007 including 41 cyclists and 201 pedestrians. That is more than 4 deaths for each day of a year.

Other

• There are 1000 heat-related deaths a year.
• 400 people die a year from Asthma and in W.A. the Premier claimed that 150 people die a year while waiting for a hospital bed!
• In the most recent data, 134 babies died a year from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Manage the public health risks of pets in context. The media has been the dog’s worse enemy, creating public outcry that some short-sighted politicians have responded to with poorly thought out laws.

Hot Dogs in the Adelaide Heatwave

As Sydney is stuck on 30C degrees, the Queensland coastal area is flooding, Melbourne had several 43 degree days until a cooling change last night and Adelaide has had more 40 degree days in a row since records were kept, I found this gorgeous picture of titled "Roxy is no longer a hot dog" at news.com.au.

All I want to say is GET DOGS ON BEACHES!!!! Most of us live in the 'coastal fringe'. We are told to SWIM BETWEEN THE FLAGS. We have thousands of kilometres of coastline and endless remote or empty beaches and we want our dogs AND our human family at the beach together. We're a beach culture - our dogs should be able to be at the beach with us and we'll compromise by keeping them on a lead or away from crowded or flagged areas!

I live 30 seconds' walk from a dog-friendly ocean beach. Sometimes it's just too scary, maybe dangerous for me to swim at my beach, so I walk a few minutes to one of two patrolled areas. But these areas are usually not in the dog beach area - but in a strong NE swell the flagged area is in the dog area - OH JOY!

Many dogs sit on my beach and wait while their owners surf. Other dogs play with visiting dogs while their owners swim. This beach has lots of holiday houses, so throughout January the beach and lagoon is full of kids, families, dogs, surfers and fishers. It's gorgeous and it all works. A few of us 'full-time' residents noticed that A LOT more 'tourists' brought their dogs this year. It seems that having dog-friendly beaches, and dog-friendly/family beach houses is the way to attract tourists and visitors. We even welcome dogs on the ferry from Palm Beach to the Cental coast.

It's been a gorgeous summer and a joy to meet all the visiting dogs from Sydney. I even saw two Labradors the other day that had never been in the ocean before. Sydney, and other coastal suburbs that try to ban dogs from beaches, are cruel. Cruel to Animals - isn't there a law against that?

Training and busing with our dogs - Column 8 continued

Column 8 Today - Sydney Morning Herald
"Fixing RailCorp's grammar (December 23) might be of academic interest," comments Richard Ure, of Epping, "but the point raised by Eedra Zey from Woy Woy in Friday's Column 8 is more fundamental.

• If a dog is not allowed on a level crossing, how about a horse?
  
• Or a mob of sheep crossing a line in the bush?
  
• Or a dog in a ute?
  
• For city folk, how about a dog, or any animal, caged or otherwise, crossing railway station concourses at places like Epping, Eastwood, Chatswood, Meadowbank and many similar urban crossings?
  

RailCorp owes us guidance. Or does it just want the fine?" We, too, cry out for guidance from RailCorp, in these troubled, uncertain times.

Dec 23
About the 'No pets not allowed' State Rail business of Friday," writes Teena Hughes, of Rozelle: "I was thinking that perhaps a shiny new comma or full stop could make this poster make sense. As in, 'No, pets not allowed', or, 'No pets. Not allowed'. I suggest everyone who travels near these signs can fix them immediately by adding either one - we'll leave it up to the public, shall we? Take a black marker pen with you, just in case.

gang of police kill solo youth of same race and we're not protesting like Athens is?

Updated post after a few phone calls and inquiries. I'M (any expletive here) OUTRAGED! Shooting a gun 'to maim' works ONLY IN THE MOVIES but it doesn't work in real life. Am I really reading this quote from the Victorian Police Assistance Commissioner? Yes, I am.

The Commissioner continues 'we want our police to be trained to 'shoot-to-kill.'

I am so upset by what seems to be a murder of a juvenile by THREE Victorian police in Melbourne. Howard's lie about children overboard got more press than this.
“Why was he slayed to death when it was so unnecessary?”

The entire incident took less than three minutes to unfold, but police had done everything possible to avoid his death, he said.

THREE SHORT MINUTES FOR THREE (now I hear there were FOUR) THUGS IN UNIFORM TO DECIDE THEIR BEST OPTION WAS TO OPEN FIRE ON A TEEN-AGE MALE AT LEAST 10 METRES AWAY; A MALE YOUTH WHO HAD A COUPLE OF KNIVES? (Gordon Ramsey - you're next?)

Postscript March09 - Story on 60 Minutes

Chicago!

Hasn't Chicago (and surrounds) been in the news? USA President Elect Obama aside, Chicago city ran a high school art contest TO CREATE CITY-WIDE AWARENESS OF DOG-FRIENDLY CHICAGO. Ok, we love it, see previous post. Here is the winner - to be displayed on 1.3 million vehicle parking stickers.

AND, Michigan car insurer Progressive offers Pet Injury Coverage if your dog or cat is injured in a car accident - regardless of fault! As an ex-yank, I can say that ANYTHING offered 'regardless of fault' is indeed progressive.

The Detroit News reported Auto insurers add pet policies. Stating the bleeding obvious:

• The coverage reflects what pet owners have known for years and some corporations are just now realising: The bonds run deep with fluffy friends.
  
• It's an opportunity to provide a new coverage that right for the market.
• The market is huge with 2 million dogs and 2.5 million cats.
• Customers love their cats and dogs.

Our comments - DUH! Most domestic pets in Australia carry $10 MILLION liability insurance with your home contents policy (check with your insurer). Common law clearly puts pets as chattel; yep, same as a handbag. This is an interesting angle when dealing with legal stuff. I digress: chattel means no innate rights - that's why Barking Mad is about pet Owners, not dogs or cats, or horses.

Animal rights organisations state their preference clearly in their name - rights for animals meaning a reform of common law/chattel/pet. Barking Mad has an interesting case on foot as a dog was present in a legal assembly (our right of political expression), but the owner was fined for dog in prohibited space. If the dog is chattel (so too a banner, or a loud-speaker), necessary for political expression then how can its owner be fined under council by-laws?

Barking Mad contacted both AAMI and NRMA insurance asking them to promote a product (pet liability insurance) that they currently offered. Both declined. What are they missing? With 2 out of 3 homes with pets, when will they switch on? I recall working with a major industry around the Sydney Olympic Site (and time) to install water tanks. They had a mega-huge flat surface; a perfect catchment with drainage in place. They thought I was nuts. Need I say more?

A Special Collection of Video for You

Look, it's back. Be touched by Mankind is No Island. Take a moment for yourself and watch. The images were captured on a mobile phone from the streets of New York and Sydney. The story is there for you to grasp, to feel. Who says we need big budgets to create change? Who says our doggies need $69 collars?

I hope to have several video links on the BLOG for you to enjoy, to learn and to celebrate and laugh. Have a look on the menu on the right side of the screen. I hope this will be a 5* service for Barking Mad members and supporters. Send in your video or link to be included.

Current Videos:

• Bella, Old dog new tricks "I've always been terrified of dogs..."
• Diabetic Dog Discrimination in Western Australia
• Cancer Sniffing Dogs
• 
  

Doctor's Orders - Dog is Good

Remember when our national broadcaster the ABC generously offered two VIP tickets to Barking Mad members with assistance dogs to the outdoor opera back in March this year? And then they were denied entry - something to do with multiple agencies being the ABC, Opera Australia and the Opera House Trust. The first two accommodated their guests, and the later did not, and refused to contact the first two to get this sorted. The result: DRAMA !

And now a complaint of disability discrimination after an offer to show the video claiming ''only guide dogs''' was refused by the Opera House CEO. Now that a formal complaint has been lodged, what did Sydney Opera House do with this complaint? They submitted 160 pages saying they did the right thing; the big bank strategy. And finally, they asked to see the video which we have put on YouTube. In their 160 pages, they claim to be experts about assistance dogs and people with disability. This is timely with the International Day of People with Disability this week, the 3rd of December. So we thought we would offer Richard Evans, CEO of Sydney Opera House, a man with a bigger budget than ..... a quiz on disabilities and assistance animals. This is one of the questions:

The 16 photos above are of dogs and the dog’s main carer/guardian. All are legitimate photos taken recently. 9 of these photos are of assistance dogs with the person they provide assistance to (a person with a disability). All of the assistance dogs in these photos are ‘working’ (on-duty, not resting) at the time the image was taken.

Please circle or put a cross in the 9 images where Sydney Opera House would allow dogs on site because they are assistance animals as defined by the DDA.

We will let you know how we go!

It's Ba ack! And it's NOTA Loophole

Remember the bus arrest? Well, it's back. The NSW Police realised they could not uphold a conviction, but that logical approach has not spread to the State Transit Authority. In fact, we have recent correspondence from our big-salaried Chief Executive of Sydney Buses (Safe, Clean & Convenient, Peter Rowley) stating that the issue of the fines has been reviewed and he is satisfied that they were correctly issued. Guess we'll see as the hearing is tomorrow at Ryde Local Court.

Has he read the legislation/regulations? Well, here it is, straight from the NSW Govt. website; Section 52 (1) A passenger must not take into or on any public passenger vehicle any dog, cat, bird or other animal: (b) in the case of a bus or ferry - except with the permission of,and in the manner permitted by, the driver of the bus or the ferry master.

Eedra Zey walks onto the uncrowded L20 bus at Ryde going to the city. She is obviously with a dog as Pema the border collie is by her side, on-lead. Driver asked destination, Eedra replies, driver says $4, Eedra provides a $20 note and apologises for not having the correct change, driver gives Eedra ticket and change. Eedra sits in the front of the bus and Pema is under the seat, virtually invisible. All is well.

Transit blokes board for routine ticket check. Eedra shows ticket, guys behind her do a dash, transit blokes go towards the back of the bus, but then 'their stop' comes up and they have to move on. Bloke Anal says to bloke Real, what about the dog? Real says to Anal what about it, she has a ticket. And the rest is dramatic history of which we have some very interesting video!

Responsible pet owners will make appropriate decisions about where and when to take their pet into public space. Many of us will even have our dogs 'public access trained' to earn back our privileges. It's time for common scents!

Dr. John Church: Every family should have a dog.

60 minutes on dogs sniffing to benefit our health. Watch this story here.

An excerpt:
LIZ HAYES: And for those who have been saved by their pets, well, they'd be happy to see a good old-fashioned personal consultation. The dog sitting beside the doctor in the surgery as a way of scanning people?

GILL LACEY: It would be great fun, wouldn't it, and actually I think it would make visits to the doctors much more pleasant.

LH: The possibilities, it seems, are endless. We've all heard it a million times but has it ever been more true - the humble pooch really is man's best friend. For those mums and dads who are listening to you now what would you say to them?

DR JOHN CHURCH: You realise that they are wonderful, majestic creatures in their own right and watch their behaviour. If there is something for good or ill, if the dog is behaving in a funny way take note. Take note.

LH: It also makes a compelling argument for a family dog.

DR JC: Every family should have a dog.

Videos - only the best

Check out our new video channel on this blog. We'll show you only the best pet videos available - and a few special non-pet ones as well. Members are welcome to submit YOUR videos to be published. We know you all secretly (or not so) take pictures of your dogs and cats often!

We start off with the story of a woman whose full life with her children and grandchildren took an unexpected turn in her 70's - and no surprises here, it's because of the love of a dog.

Following is a touching reminder of our shared humanity shot entirely on a mobile phone in New York and Sydney - A Tropfest winner.

Snorkeller dies between flags and your BBQ

A man has died while snorkelling between the flags in shallow water at a patrolled beach near Cairns. "He was swimming between the flags on the public beach on Green Island, which is a well-populated patrolled area with a lifeguard on duty." No less than four tourists have died in the waters off the island in the past three years.

Barking Mad asks, why not ban swimming - it can kill. We ban dogs, also accused of killing.

Swimming and dogs provide an undisputed benefit to our society. Why then, does one death from a dog (prov0ked by the victim) result in a virtual ban on hunting dogs that protect the pastures required so we can have our steaks, BBQ snags and lamb roasts?
_______________________________________

Barking Mad: While I grieve for the family and try to comprehend their loss (I lost a sister to cancer at age 30 and several friends to 'early' deaths), the fact that this story has received virtually NO media coverage and NO legislative changes bothers me. PLEASE read this with a view to the bigger picture and not the individual suffering to those immediately involved. Sudden and unexpected death is becoming socially unacceptable in our medical-miracle society despite the fact that death is the only certainly in our lives.

• In NSW, we had one 'tragic' death of a child that could be blamed on DOGS (not DocS), and it was. Even though in the subsequent inquiry it was found that 20, YES TWENTY risk of harm reports were received at the DoCS helpline concerning domestic violence, alcohol and drug use in the family of the child involved in the incident blamed on DOGS.
  

Before the facts were determined, legislation was brought in so that any dog that caused a person to feel afraid could be declared 'dangerous'; guilty before proven. It was a haven for dog-haters; don't like your neighbours dog - call your local council and say you felt fear - your identity would be protected and the dog would be guilty before proven. The proof may come out a year and $30,000 later, but in the interim pooch (if not put down) would be living on a 10M x 10M concrete slab with 2M high fences.

_______________________________________

YOUR BBQ & YOUR LAMB ROAST: How eating beef and pork contributes to animal cruelty.

1. The coroner has recommended enforcement of the dangerous dog provisions for hunting dogs.
   
2. Cattle and sheep are grazing animals for the majority of their life.
3. Feral pigs "are a problem in NSW, QLD and NT. Impacts include pasture damage, water fouling, disease spread and the huge costs of control. Lamb losses of 15% to pigs is common, and can be up to 38%." Factsheet.
   
4. On the ground hunting with pig dogs is an effective control method.
5. But hunting dogs must now be de-sexed, muzzled and kept in an enclosure with a concrete floor.
   
6. Just like any other working dog, you want to breed from your best. But if they have to be de-sexed before they even start working - how will this work?

RSPCA Australia, Dogs, Climate Change & Public Transport

We contacted Western Australia RSPCA during the State Election Campaign to gain their support for pets travelling with their responsible guardians on public transport. As Labor was running a public transport campaign, we thought we better get in and make sure the 65% of us with pets are not left out of this infrastructure plan. Read our transport briefing paper here.

Due to some quick action from the WA RSPCA office (thank you!), we have achieved support from RSPCA AUSTRALIA as follows:

"The RSPCA believes that dogs play an important part in the lives of their owners and families. We would like dog owners to have the opportunity to include their dog in activities which may involve travel on public transport provided that the dog involved could deal with this sort of situation and it could be managed in such as way so as to not impact on other transport users."

We will continue to lobby the W.A. government, along with all other governments for a national policy allowing pets to travel with their responsible owners. We watch with interest as the National leader Brendon Grylls (and his beloved three-legged dog) looks to hold the balance of power.

REALLY REALLY STUPID

We were alerted to this farce on an Australian government website. Our comments follow, and we are taking this up with the publisher as a matter of urgency. With this sort of STUPID stuff being printed by our government,what hope is there for people who apply logical thought and use evidence-based facts?

Native animals see dogs as predators. The lasting scent left by dogs can easily scare small animals and birds away from their homes, often causing them to leave their young unprotected. Any evidence of dog scent affecting wildlife is overshadowed by that of humans, foxes and feral cats. Birds normally leave their young to get food; the nest is protection!

• Dog faeces carry diseases which can be harmful to wildlife and people, and also add nutrients to the soil, increasing the spread of weeds. Birds carry weed seeds, not dogs! Dog poo is blessed by Australia's climate. The minute pathological risk from poo is almost non-existent due to our hot and dry. Reference
  

If dogs and other domestic pets have frightened native animals away from popular visitor areas, there will be no wildlife for other visitors to see. Is this honestly a claim that native animals are comfortable around PEOPLE , just not their dogs? Such non-sense is frightening. Popular visitor areas are typically overrun by ferals such as Indian Myna birds and Ibis.

• Dogs can interfere with the enjoyment of other park visitors. At last, a true statement, but people who are loud or litter can interfere with other park visitors as well. How about sharing the space with all our families?

FACT: The massive number of feral animals that arrived in the first hundred years of European settlement have permanently and drastically altered the Australian environment, introduced disease, caused land degradation and are implicated in the extinction of most of the 27 mammals in NSW.

Today, feral animal and plants are the second greatest international and national threat to biodiversity after habitat destruction such as land clearing. In some parts of NSW feral species are now the greatest threat. (NPA NSW).

No Sh*t - Campaign for Cleaner Shoes

What is it about dog poo that gets up peoples noses so much? That's it! It STINKS. When our local council doesn't enforce the poo laws, they make us, the responsible pet owners out to be a public enemy. Yet, we pay rates for litter pick-up without fining those people who dump there cigarette butts and drink bottles... Read today's media on 'Stubbing Out the Mess' and add your comments.

Join our Campaign for Cleaner Shoes on Shitonmyshoe.com.au and Register your support.

barkingmad.org.au - our new home

We've lost the dash - does that mean we are no longer a dash mad, or does that mean our symbolic 'dog lead' dash was obtuse? Probably both, but dot org is a good place for an organisation so here we are!