news, local-news, Wynyard, dog, walkers, Doctors Rocks, conservation, Parks and Wildlife Service, PWS, Robby Walsh

Dog walkers have united to try and overturn a ban on taking their fury friends on a beach around Doctors Rocks. Dogs were previously allowed off leash between Seabrook Creek and Burntwood Cove but not between Woody Point and Seabrook Creek to protect the little penguin colony. But the Parks and Wildlife Service recently decided to ban dogs from the entire area "as a result of dog attacks on wildlife in the Doctors Rocks Conservation Area, and particularly the attack that resulted in 45 penguin deaths". Wynyard woman Leanne Raw has been walking her pooch Benson on the beach for 14 years and is part of a new community action group: Multiple Use of Conservation Areas - Doctors Rocks. RELATED: Little penguin massacre at Doctors Rocks She said the penguin attacks occurred "a long way away" from the former dog-friendly zone and dogs were only ever walked during daylight hours when penguins were not around. "We have coexisted with the penguins on that beach for 50 years," she said. "And the people who walk their dogs there are penguin-worried as well, we care for the penguins." Mrs Raw said dog walkers were upset about the lack of consultation about the dog ban and questioned if any of the penguin attacks had occurred in the dog friendly area. A Parks and Wildlife Service spokesperson was unable to confirm if attacks had occurred in the former dog zone but said the ban was part of action "taken to reduce the risk and increase wildlife protection". "The Doctors Rock Conservation Area is managed for a range of objectives that include conservation and recreation," they said. "The protection and conservation of important habitats and wildlife is a significant focus for the area, including its penguin and seabird populations." The spokesperson said representatives from the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment would "meet with a local group of dog owners to listen to understand their issues later this month". Waratah-Wynyard mayor Robby Walsh said his council was responsible for enforcing the dog ban handed down by the PWS as they "are the controlling body" for the area. However, Cr Walsh was coy about whether he personally supported the ban. "I believe the penguins have got to be protected," he said. "Whether that entails it (the beach) being banned from dogs or regulations control it is another question." Dog walkers have also questioned whether the PWS has a formal management plan for the Doctors Rocks Conservation Area and if it went through the proper consultation processes to change it to exclude dogs. A management plan covering penguins at Doctors Rocks has been developed and published by the Cradle Coast Authority. Mrs Raw said the campaign to overturn the ban was not "aggressive", however, dog owners strongly believed they could coexist with the penguins. "This is an area where we can coexist and we have done for many years and we still can," she said. What do you think of dog beach ban? Have your say by sending us a Letter to the Editor using the form below.

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