Dog Safety Week
Dog Safety Week is a chance for all pet owners, non-pet owners, families and children to learn more about creating a safe and harmonious co-existence between people, pets and places.
Pop-up booths
- Want to know how you make sure your pet’s registration is up-to-date? Have a question about where you can take your dog off-lead? What should you do about a neighbour’s dog that is barking?
- Come down and talk to Council’s Response Services Team at different locations across the week to learn more about owning a pet on the Sunshine Coast.
- Learn how to keep our local wildlife safe. ‘Leave it’ is a free dog training app, designed to teach owners how to train dogs to avoid wildlife.
- FREE activities for the kids and a take home Sunny’s Pet Safety bag to keep the kids busy these holidays.
Pop-up locations
| Location | Date | Time |
| Ballinger Beach, Buderim St, Currimundi | Monday 1 July | 7-9am |
| Dog Beach Mudjimba Twin Waters | Tuesday 2 July | 3-5pm |
| Mary Cairn Cross Reserve, 148 Mountain View Rd, Maleny | Wednesday 3 July | 10am-12pm |
| Shelly Beach Playground, Victoria Tce, Shelly Beach | Thursday 4 July | 7-9am |
| *Elizabeth Daniels dog off leash park, Buderim | Friday 5 July | 3-5pm |
| **Wilkes Park, Southern side of Alex Surf Club, Alexandra Headland | Saturday 6 July | 8-10am |
| **Tickle Park, David Low Way, Coolum Beach | Sunday 7 July | 8-10am |
*On Friday, NCVSEH (North Coast Veterinary Specialist & Emergency Hospital) will attend alongside Council pop up in support of Dog Safety Week messages.
**On Saturday and Sunday only, AES (Animal Emergency Services) will attend alongside Council pop up in support of Dog Safety Week messages.
Meet our dog mascot ‘Sunny’
- Enjoy story time at our library school holiday program
- Meet and greet our book character Sunny.
- Colouring-in competition to win our Sammy and Sunny books.
- Activities and a take home Sunny’s Pet Safety bag for the kids.
Dog safety tips
Remember leash, tag and bag – before you walk.
By remembering to bring your leash, council registration tag and poo bags when walking your dogs you can keep them safe and keep our region clean. Also, if your dog does happen to get lost, the tag will allow the council to make sure they get home quickly and safely.
Protect your mate, lock the gate.
Having a secure yard will help keep your pets safe at home. If a dog does escape their yard, they may end up roaming near dangerous busy roads. We can prevent accidents from happening by remembering to ‘protect your mate, lock the gate’.
Share the space, keep each other safe.
We all share the same foot paths, cycle paths and open spaces. Let’s make sure everyone feels safe and welcome in these spaces by keeping your dogs on-leash (in on-leash areas) and not allowing them to interfere with other people who may be enjoying the space in their own way.
Take it slow before you say ‘hello’.
It’s polite to ask first! Not all dogs are friendly and not all people love dogs. When approaching a dog it’s important to remember to ask the owner if you, your child or your dog is allowed to say ‘hello’. If the owner says no, that’s okay. If they say yes, take it slow and let the dog come visit you or your dog, even the friendliest dog can get scared if we rush things.
- Teach your kids to ask a parent or guardian if they can pat the dog
- Ask the dog owner if you can pat the dog
- Let the dog come to you and sniff you hand by your side
- Pat dog gently on the back or shoulder
Respect our place, give wildlife space.
What a wonderful place we live in, beautiful beaches and an amazing variety of local wildlife. It’s everyone’s job to take care of the creatures we share our space with.
Keep our wildlife safe and happy by:
- keeping cats in a secure area such as a house or a run,
- making sure our dogs are on a lead when around wildlife like kangaroos, koalas, snakes, platypus
- respecting the space of nesting turtles or shorebirds.
For more tips see the “Leave It” programme. www.leaveit.com.au