Have Your Say About Dog Management

Published on 11 September 2019

Dogs can be off lead in every open space in the City of Burnside when under effective control of their owners. Burnside is also the only metropolitan council that doesn't have parks and reserves where all dogs must be on a lead.

However the state Dog and Cat Management Act requires that Council provides areas for dogs to be off a lead and on a lead in the City. The Act says that Council must have provision in some parks or reserves for all dogs to be on a lead. 

Our parks and reserves are for everyone, including our furry friends. So together we need to find a solution to this issue to ensure that our City is complying with the state laws. 

Identifying one park or reserve in our City that should become fully on lead for dogs at all times, will comply with the Act, but will disadvantage the dog owners that only use that reserve. For this reason, this is not a preferable solution.

Another way to comply with the Act is to agree that dogs must be on lead a certain distance from a playground or pool in all parks and reserves; or that dogs must be on a lead a certain distance from the sideline of a sporting game or during club sport training. You may also have some other suggestions on a solution.

Do we need another dog park?

The Conyngham Street dog park in Glenside is the only dedicated park of this type in the City. Although the land on which the park is located is subject to a 10 year lease from the State Government, the lease can end at any time with nine months written notice from the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation.

Acquiring land or repurposing an existing piece of Council-owned land, to accommodate a permanent dog park, requires long-term planning and funding. We are seeking your feedback on another dog park and in which are the dog park could be located.

Have your say

Complete the online survey at engage.burnside.sa.gov.au prior to 5 pm Friday 4 October 2019. 

For more information please contact Council's Strategic Community Engagement Officer, Bernie Auricht, on 8366 4200. You can also email your queries to [email protected]