City of Sydney Lord Mayoral candidate Yvonne Weldon back push to allow dogs on public transport
Dogs could be allowed on public transport - as part of new plan to make Sydney the most pet-friendly city in the world
Dog owners could soon be allowed to take their pooches on public transport as part of a radical new plan to make Sydney the most pet-friendly city in the world.
City of Sydney Lord Mayoral candidate Yvonne Weldon is behind the push to make it easier for to bring their dogs along to venues and on public transport.
'When we've had all these lockdowns, the social isolation has impacted people in such a negative way,' Ms Weldon told .
'Pets have been such a support in terms of people's mental and emotional wellbeing. Our pets are family, too.'
If elected at Saturday's polls, Ms Weldon said she would encourage the council to look at ways to make hotels, restaurants, cafes and shops more accessible for residents and their pooches.
She added it was an important step in supporting vulnerable residents who live alone and rely on the company of their pets.
Council buildings, sporting and entertainment venues and taxi's were among the list of venues Ms Weldon hoped to see pet access.
'I think we can be more accommodating, and we need to be more inclusive, across the city, and pets are such a big part of our lives,' she said.
Ms Weldon, hopes to hold a community forum to look at a health and safety management plan that could see allocated areas for pets in restaurants.
The owner of an English Bulldog, Ms Weldon's proposal could see Sydney follow the likes of pet-friendly cities such as Paris, New York, Seattle and even Melbourne.
Her counterpart, Lord mayor Clover Moore, has long pushed for reviews on state government policies to allow pets into more spaces.
There are currently 48 park in The City of Sydney which allow for dogs to roam off-leash.
The council also works with animal welfare organisations and vets offering discounted services to people on low incomes, and supports women fleeing domestic violence by providing care for their pets.
The proposal has reignited a long-standing heated debate on state government policies that determine whether pets are allowed in apartments.
Strata rules for apartment buildings often imposed a blanket ban on pets, sometimes retroactively, causing distress for many residents.
In August NSW scrapped the rules, only allowing strata committees to ban specific troublesome animals, and regulate how pets are managed inside the building.
The change followed a detailed review of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and extensive public consultation, which focused on animals in strata schemes.
Regulation Minister Kevin Anderson said the rule change was fairer for both residents and owners corporations.
'Research tells us that Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, with 61 per cent of households including a pet in their family, and 91 per cent of households owning a pet at some point in their lives,' he said.
'We have implemented fair and sensible regulations that prevent schemes from introducing blanket bans on keeping pets in apartments.'
