Plenty of Sydney professionals rely on the service of dog walkers to ensure their pet pooch gets exercise during the working week. However, that well-oiled system could be in jeopardy after the Inner West Council has put forward a proposal to charge dog walkers for using parks in the area to carry out their jobs.
The eyebrow-raising policy drafted by council members in the Marrickville, Ashfield and Leichhardt suburbs is a recommendation to charge dog walkers a $552.60 fee to obtain a permit that they'd need to carry on them during the course of dog-walking.
In addition to the fee, the Parks and Open Spaces Commercial Dog Walking Policy would require all permit holders to be over the age of 16, hold up-to-date first aid certificates for both humans and animals, and have public and personal liability insurance.
If this goes ahead, the Inner West Council would become the second Sydney council to charge dog walkers to use its parks – Lane Cove Council has been charging an eye-watering $2,200 per permit a year since all the way back in 2013.
While the proposal has provoked dismay from the public, the council draft jumped on the front paw, with the policy draft stating: “The proposed licence and permit fee is not considered unreasonable, noting that commercial dog walkers in the Sydney metropolitan area currently charge dog owners an average of $35 per hour per dog for walking and socialisation activities.”
The proposal was presented to council this month, and is now open for community feedback. Bark now or forever hold your peace.