By Natalie Gallenti-Brekalo
Dog owners will have to walk theirs pet on leads once they are out in public after an order was passed at last week’s Melton council meeting.
The order means dogs must always be on leads except in designated dog off-leash parks in Hillside and Melton West.
Caroline Springs dog owner Alana Steer supported the new law, saying she always walked her bulldog, Douglas, on a leash.
Ms Steer also called for further restrictions to be placed at off-leash parks after witnessing aggressive behaviour by some dogs.
She said the onus to keep dogs and the wider community safe from such incidents fell squarely on owners, who should have total control of their pets by keeping them on a leads.
“I definitely think dogs should be on a lead,” she said.
“Because Douglas is a bulldog other dogs just seem to flock to him and it makes me nervous.
“All dogs have different characteristics and their owners need to watch over them, but some don’t care. How will they catch them if they run off? For me it’s more about the safety of my dog.”
