NEWS DESK Pedestrians at risk MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has hired a consultant to undertake a traffic study of Balnarring, including pedestrian safety on Frankston-Flinders Road. This follows receipt of a 197-signature petition at last week’s council meeting (12 June) calling for a pedestrian crossing on FrankstonFlinders Road, near the shopping centre. Acting team leader – traffic and transport Daniel Collins told the council an online petition had gathered a further 396 signatures. “The petitioner highlighted the strong community support for the pedestrian crossing and a strong fear that a child will be injured by a vehicle,” Mr Collins said. “As Frankston-Flinders Road is managed by VicRoads, the petition will be forwarded there for consideration. Any recommendations from the traffic study regarding Frankston-Flinders Road pedestrian facilities will inform future advocacy to VicRoads for improvements.”
Dog of a day as owners break rules Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au A MORNINGTON dog owner says she can’t exercise her assistance dog in on-leash parks because other dogs which are allowed to roam free rush up and harass it. And she’s blaming the lack of enforcement of the rules by Mornington Peninsula Shire rangers for letting this happen – particularly at Mornington Park. Autumn Tanfield is quick to dismiss the “whinger” tag: “I really feel for my 14-month-old Labrador-cross assistance dog because, while she’s allowed to have down-time from her training – without her coat on – she is always supposed to be on-leash and never to run wild. “It’s a real dilemma for me. She’s like a teenage girl and is difficult to hold onto when she gets excited. All dogs like to play, but she can pull me over.” Ms Tanfield said she risked being abused when she reminded other dog owners of the park’s on-leash rules. “People don’t take any notice of the signs,” she said. “They let their dogs run straight over even when Coco is wearing her identifying coat, yet when she is on dog-time she is not supposed to
Rally for refugees GRANDMOTHERS Against Detention of Children are attending a Refugee Advocacy Rally, State Library of Victoria, Saturday 21 July. The date marks five years since then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced in his “PNG solution” that all asylum seekers who arrived by boat in Australia would not be settled here. The rally will call on the federal government to bring asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru to Australia and tell the ALP it is time to change its policy.
Running wild: Assistance dog owner Autumn Tanfield is angry other owners allow their dogs to roam free in on-leash parks. Picture: Gary sissons
wear it as she’s having a break from training. I don’t know if their dogs are going to be aggressive or not. It freaks me out. Their owners should have them under control.” The nurse for 40 years who suffers post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Ms Tanfield said Coco was supposed to have an hour’s exercise each day which was factored into her training. She said a trained assistance dog was valued at $35,000 and only obtained after a rigorous vetting of applicants by the relevant organisation. Requests for dogs go through an expressions-of-interest process. “We have to sign a 12-page document and the CEO of the organisation flies down from Sydney to oversee the hand-over. They are very picky about who their dogs go to.” Ms Tanfield said she frequently called shire rangers who typically replied there was “nothing we can do about it”. “I’m not complaining about the odd person who lets their dog run free – it’s the sheer number of people. Some have no concept of the rules.” The shire’s environment protection manager John Rankine said responsible pet ownership was an important issue in the community. “The council’s ranger team will always respond to reports of dogs at large or dogs that are not on leash,” he said. “We encourage all dog owners to have their dog under effective control at all times.” He said rangers would further investigate “if the community member provides specific locations and times”.
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