Following consultation with dog owners and the general public, the committee recommended that dogs be prohibited from part of Sumner Beach during summer and that they should be kept on short leashes in the most popular parts of other Christchurch beaches.

Under the current Christchurch City Council Dog Control Policy, dogs are only allowed through these areas from 1 November to 30 April if they are on a short leash.

“The changes make the rules clearer to dog owners and improve the safety and hygiene of local beaches for everyone who uses them,” says City Councillor Sue Wells, chair of the working party.

The changes mean that during the daylight saving months, dogs are banned from Sumner beach between Cave Rock in the east to 100m to the west (known as Mr Whippy corner). Dogs are free to exercise from Mr Whippy Corner to Shag Rock

Dogs are allowed off a leash on all other beach areas, except for the areas below, where they are allowed to pass through on a short leash:

• 100m either side of the surf clubs at Spencer Park beach, Waimairi beach, North Beach and South Brighton beach
• the area from the Surf Club at New Brighton to a point 100m south of the Christchurch Pier

“The length of beach from the Waimakariri River mouth to the Southshore Spit covers just over 19 km,” Cr Wells says.

“We’re suggesting that the movement of dogs be restricted in only 1.2km of this area during six months of the year.”