A dog owner is calling for greater understanding at off-leash beaches after claiming her pet was kicked by a man.
Lucie Ritchie said she and her husband were preparing to leave the shoreline at Noosa when a man lashed out at their pooch Buddy.
“We spent 2.5 hours of absolutely blissful times watching our dog play and frolic in the water happily, and interact beautifully with everyone there,” she said.
“A mature couple with no visible mobility issues and no dog sat down with their chairs near us.
“Our dog went over to receive a pat, as other lovely people had given him.
“Instead, he received a solid kick in the ribs by the man, and the lady started flailing her arms in the air.
“I asked them not to kick dogs and not to come to the dog beach if they do not like dogs. Their response was that ‘beaches are for everyone’.”
Ms Ritchie said it was “unacceptable”.
“One day that disgusting behaviour by them will result in a dog retaliating. They were extremely lucky that that they encountered a lovely dog,” she said.
She said Buddy is a Gerberian Shepsky, a cross between a German Shepherd and Siberian Husky, and labelled him smart and well trained.
Ms Ritchie said dog owners have a responsibility to control their pets. She also said non-dog owners should be more accepting in off-leash areas.
“If you go to an off-leash dog beach or park, it is a reasonable expectation to have a friendly dog come up to you for a pat,” she said.
“It is people with unrealistic attitudes who go to off-leash dog beaches and parks and then expect dogs to go nowhere near them, and then feel entitled to abuse a dog if it does go near them.
“Don’t go to an off-leash dog beach or park if you don’t want a dog to come near you.”
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Noosa Council’s acting local laws and environmental health manager Clint Irwin said dog owners and their pets should be respected by non-dog owners.
“We want dog owners to enjoy off-leash areas and, at the same time, people who are sharing the beach in those areas need to be mindful that dogs are off-leash,” he said.
Mr Irwin also said dog owners had an obligation to supervise and control their pets.
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“Dog owners have a responsibility to supervise their dogs in the off-leash areas to ensure they do not pose a risk, or cause a nuisance, to other people or animals, even in an off-leash area,” he said.
A council statement said that there were several off-leash areas for residents and their dogs to enjoy.
