Dogs at Nature Reserves

[Peter Milburn <>]

Following Stuart Cooney's report I am finally compelled to raise this issue.  I don't have any problem with dogs being exercised but I also support the concept of nature reserves.

Every time I have visited Kelly's Swamp lately there have been dogs running amok.  It is clear that people bring their animals especially to that location for exercise.

Two (Red Setters?) are frequent visitors, splashing around in the shallows.  After flushing everything from Kelly's Swamp they give the FSTW a work out as well.  The last time I saw them they were even chasing around in the cow paddocks (although there is not much in there but feral species anyway).  I have also seen people walking in front of the hides on the nice green lawn having a good time watching their German Shepherd causing havoc.

Isn't this supposed to be a sanctuary for transnational migratory species?  Is there an appropriate channel for complaints of this kind?

I think that having the bike path through the place is a big problem.  Apart from unleashed dogs accompanying cyclists (a frequent source of the trouble) there is simply too much human traffic through the place.  That there are neither enough hides nor adequate screening of the swamp would be an issue if the general public didn't walk in front of them anyway.

Of course this isn't simply restricted to Jerrabomberra Wetlands.  I won't bore everyone to death with a list of nature reserves that are frequented by unleashed dogs.  Perhaps the answer is to have specific dog-friendly exercise areas in order to reduce the use of sports ovals and nature reserves for this purpose.  Perhaps there are too many ovals in the light of limited water supply so perhaps these could be the doggie havens of the future?

Milburn

-- 

Dr P.J. Milburn
Technical Specialist
ANU ACRF Biomolecular Resource Facility
John Curtin School of Medical Research
Australian National University
GPO Box 334
Canberra ACT 0200
'Phone +61 2 6125 4326
FAX      +61 2 6125 9533