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.

Members Web

Barking Mad is busy behind the scenes. We are in discussion with four NSW ministers taking up the issues of discrimination and social disadvantage that the current anti-dog laws foster. Talks are going very well. The Member’s Area of the web is growing and all the juicy news on the rights you REALLY have (not the ones that your local council may want you to believe) are in this section. We're involved in challenges for several of our members including dogs prohibited in unit dwellings, penalty notices issued outside of juristiction or improperty and harassment or targetted campaigns by rangers.

Campaiging and the Law

We have received the latest guide to rights and responsibilities for campaigning and the law in NSW. Very handy stuff and available to loan to members.

New Web Pages

Thanks to members for two new web pages: How you can help now and member comments. Check these out and be inspired by the dedication and creativity of Barking Mad members. We also have a family page coming soon!

Warringah Council meeting

Warringah Council Animal Advisory Committee Meeting - Barking Mad will be presenting to their next meeting on the 9th August. Let us know if you want to attend. Although we think the issues are more about equity for community members and less about animals, we welcome this opportunity. When we attended another Council's meeting - not one member could come up with a REASON on why dogs are prohibited from beaches. All reasons that were provided (all being different), were normal things in all of society, like crowded footpaths.

Oh my dog!

A Puppy has entered the home and offices of Barking Mad. How do you people all do it? It is SO full on, especially in contrast to my truly quiet natured border collie Pema. He's beautiful, loving and confident. I work when he is asleep. I wake up at least 3x night for trips outside. I've been standing in the rain a lot lately in the middle of the night. I have named him Pasha.

Cleaning up in the storm

We're cleaning up from the storm here on the pet-friendly Central Coast beaches of NSW. On the afternoon (beach) dog walk today, I hesitantly bagged Pema's poo she dropped at water's edge - on an incoming tide. Here I am a passionate advocate for composting and for keeping green and food waste out of our anaerobic (no-air) landfills because of the toxicity and methane problems they create in a dump – and I’m picking up Pema’s organic waste in a plastic bag to place in a council rubbish bin and truck off to landfill. Why do I do this? Because it’s the ‘law’ and as the proprietor of Barking Mad, there is a sneaking suspicion that certain council rangers want to ‘bag’ me.

Does it make sense to do this? Absolutely not! Dog poo is less toxic than human poo because they ingest fewer chemicals, heavy metals and pharmaceuticals. After this huge storm, Sydney Water legally dumped tonnes of human sewage into waterways; regional centres also sent sewage into waterways.

The ocean is brown, warnings are current to stay out of the water due to sewage and I’m picking up Pema’s little poos on an incoming tide with a plastic bag that was made overseas (from oil), shipped here (with fuel and associated pollution), trucked to my local store where I bought it (being taxed first on my income and secondly on my purchase), then using the bag to pick up a totally natural product to truck to a landfill far away where it will slowly decompose and create methane.

Some of that methane will not escape to assist global warming, but will stay in the landfill and breakdown the REALLY toxic things in there to create groundwater pollution. Pema’s poo would have been better in the ocean today; no one would have stepped on it and the world would be a minute bit cleaner. Laws do not always make sense. Remember, when you parallel park with less than one metre between you and the car in the front and the rear – you are breaking the law!

One more sleep

One more sleep. We're really looking forward to a morning with members and their pooches having a good time. All we will be doing is something the majority of dog owners can do - as long as they don't live in a Sydney coastal council. What's the HARM? See you in the morning for a sunny time.

Musings from the morning walk

A long ramble on matters legal resulting from a joyful daybreak walk on the beach with Pema.

10 degrees this morning as Pema and I headed to the beach at daybreak for a 2km walk. I must start a doggie walk BLOG. Every day I am grateful to be able to walk along the sea and watch Pema play with the waves, other dogs and run after seagulls. The chats with other walkers are lovely – before I head back to the office to make those northern beaches councils act sensibly! This morning we met fishers, two runners, one surfer, five little pooches and 2 perfumed women in designer track pants and clean shoes. Discussions were about the gorgeous sunrise, working dogs, how dogs behave better to other dogs when off-lead and of course, how Sydney residents are prohibited from the joy we experience every day on the Central Coast.

Now that Warringah Council has finally admitted what we’ve been telling members since we started (our right to legal assembly), I recall the tremendous effort from a group of Collaroy dog walkers to get a swimming area some years back. Council agreed, and shook hands on it. Then six or so other government agencies got involved, and council reneged – blaming another agency! SO, if council think they have the authority to declare dog and no dog areas under the Local Government Act or Companion Animal Act, why do they bow down to another agency? I mean, you have the authority OR NOT. And if they don’t have the authority to declare a dog beach – then what gives the authority to issue penalty notices for dogs on a beach? Is it in the legislation from these six other authorities that local councils can do this? There is doubt.

And, as I watch Pema the border collie run 300 metres and back along the beach, I wonder how council meets its’ requirement to provide adequate, appropriate and equitable services. The Prevention to Cruelty to Animals Act says we must ensure our pooch has adequate exercise. Current facilities may provide this ability for small or older dogs, but can a rambunctious dog or one from a working background really be adequately exercised in a small off-lead area? There is doubt.

The Right to Choose

For fifteen years Warringah has held out that dogs and beaches don't mix. Now that Barking Mad is putting pressure on them due to our member base in their area, they have said we leave them no choice (to oppose us for challenging their view). Do they have choice? One example comes to mind - how long did urban local governments make it virtually impossible to install a home water catchment tank if the residence had town water. DECADES! And now it's changed......a lesson in this example, perhaps?

Shit on My Shoe

The Campaign for Cleaner Shoes The worldwide movement to eliminate poo from our streets, beaches and parks has come to Australia. Have your say at shit on my shoe.

Promotional Cards Available

Two new brochures available for download - promote Barking Mad to your friends. Click for colour brochure. Click for B & W cards.

the BITE newsletter

the BITE version 2 is now out. Click here.

Dogs in our Environment

Barking Mad supports the work of Warringah Council in raising awareness and providing practical tips at their World Environment Day event. One way Warringah can improve the environment is to allow rate-payers to use their many beaches to exercise and swim their dogs, instead of expecting these ratepayers to drive to Bayview or the Central Coast to enjoy the beach with their dog. Not everyone likes dogs, not everyone likes the beach - a community needs to share; be it time-share or space-share, sharing is required. The Salty Dog's Day Out will not interfere with the events of World Environment Day. We will encourage members to rock up and collect their free poo bags later in the day.

NOT ABOUT DOGS: Warringah has provided good facilities for dogs. We would like to see fenced off-lead areas and agility parks, but Warringah is a 'good' doggie council in many ways. Barking Mad is NOT about dogs. It's about sharing a community resourse with all membes of the community - including the 42% that have dogs as a member of their family.