Dog ban signs in place

NEW display signs reminding dog owners that Feilding’s CBD is a no-go zone have been erected at strategic entrances to the town centre.

Up to 16 “no dogs” signs are now in place as replacements for previous notices that have been damaged or gone missing.

Dogs were banned from the CBD in 2004 under a Manawatu District Council bylaw.

Principal Environmental Officer, Colin Perrin, said he wanted to raise owners’ awareness to the ban as council had recently received a number of comments regarding an increasing number of dogs appearing in the business district.

“The bylaw was introduced because of issues associated with dogs fouling the footpath and causing problems for retailers in food premises,” he said.

Seeing-eye and disability assistance dogs are exempt.

Mr Perrin also requested owners who have their dogs micro-chipped to ensure the animal’s details are with council so they can be entered onto the national data base.
“Micro-chipping makes it easier to identify the dogs, but some of the systems being used are not linked to the data base, so we are requesting owners to supply the code to council so it can be entered.

“We are finding dogs that have been micro-chipped but with no records as to their owners – just a number,” he said.