Thank you to everyone who expressed interest in being part of the in-person discussion. We are delighted to have received so many submissions.

A group of 20 community members, independently selected to be broadly representative of Bayside, will meet in March and April to review aspects of our plans around pet management for the next 4 years.

Let’s have a chat

We are seeking people who’d like to tell us about their experiences with pets and public spaces in Bayside, and share ideas for our next Domestic Animal Management Plan.

The group will also help identify their preferences for dogs off-leash on beaches and make recommendations for the DAMP to be presented to Council.

We will work directly with the group throughout the engagement process to ensure that concerns and aspirations are consistently understood and considered.

We want to hear from both non-pet owners and pet owners, as well as relevant community groups, clubs and businesses.

We’re looking for around 20 people to join all four in person sessions.

The sessions will run on Thursdays from 6pm to 9pm on:

• 13 March
• 20 March
• 27 March
• 3 April

We want to understand a range of views so would love to hear from:

• Dog and cat owners, and pet community groups
• People who don’t have pets
• Environmental and resident community group representatives
• Sportsground users and clubs (managers/ trainers/ players)
• Pet-related businesses (e.g. vets, dog trainers and walkers)

Expressions of interest closed on Sunday 23 February 2025. Participants will be selected at random while ensuring a mix of suburbs, ages, pet owners and non-pet owners are in the group. Selected individuals will be contacted after this date to confirm their spot in the group.

Detailed feedback from these conversations will be considered alongside results from representative and online surveys to set actions for the draft Domestic Animal Management Plan 2025-29, as well as any revisions to beach restrictions for dogs.