Very little has changed

Rie Lester (Peninsula News, December 10) congratulates Gosford for new regulations governing dogs at Umina Beach.

Apart from some readjustment of the off-leash areas, very little has changed in fact.

There will be better signage at last though, among other small changes.

If people encounter dogs on the beach in areas where dogs are not allowed, they have every right to be annoyed, and every right to ring Council rangers.

But this has always been the case.

However, if people encounter dogs in areas where dogs can be off-leash, they have to expect dogs to be running and swimming.

If people without dogs do not want dogs around them, there is the rest of the beach available, including the safe patrolled areas in front of both surf clubs.

People like us who have dogs, get fed up with other people complaining about our dogs in areas they are allowed off-leash anyway.

Simple remedy, move down the beach.

Rie correctly notes most dog owners are responsible, but in any group you'll get the odd offender who gives the whole group a bad name.

A few of these offenders do not pick up after their dogs.

Some of them purely make mistakes and don't see it happen, especially those with more than one.

We do, however, pick up after each other.

The patronising and sarcastic tone at end of the letter, "their beloved pets dominating and befouling" is uncalled for.

We are sick of people scowling at us when they have other parts of the beach they can go to which are patrolled, have toilets and cafes.

We don't.

Email, 17 Dec 2012

John Blackhawk, Umina