Pooches allowed in Blenheim for first time in a dog's age for national show

Thursday, 25 October 2018

Taking your dog into town is barking mad, right? Not in Blenheim it isn't.

Dogs will be allowed in Blenheim's town centre for the first time in years to coincide with a national dog show.

The town will go from no dogs to hundreds of show dogs following lift of the town's Dog Control Bylaw during the 65th Black Hawk National Dog Show in October 2019.

The show will feature close to 1400 dogs from more than 120 breeds.

Marlborough district councillor Jamie Arbuckle, who chaired the animal control sub-committee, said the committee agreed to grant an exemption period so Marlburians could trial dogs in town.

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Councillor Jamie Arbuckle and Blue at the Market St sign which bars dogs from entering Blenheim's town centre.

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An official restriction on dogs came into place in 2011, ending years of conflict between the Dog Control Bylaw, which said dogs weren't allow in Blenheim, and the Dog Control Polity, which said they were.

'In 2011, there were a lot of conflicting views from the public. We had a lot of people asking for dogs in the central business district, but also a lot asking for them not to be here,' Arbuckle said.

'The council decision was to have dogs prohibited in the CBD … but, seven years on, some of those viewpoints have shifted.'

Arbuckle said the committee was encouraged to set up the trail after the Blenheim Business Association championed to let dogs back into Blenheim for several months.

Association co-ordinator Caroline Stone said the issue was first raised at a committee meeting about six months ago.

After the trail was approved last week, Stone said the association had sent a letter in support of the council's move.

Walkers and their dogs along Taylor River, near Blenheim.

'We would be supportive of up to a three-month-long trail,' Stone said. 'It gives us and the people of Blenheim enough time to assess what the implications are.'

Association member and Cafe, Bakery and Deli co-owner Tania Godsall said she thought allowing dogs into Blenheim was a 'good idea'.

Dogs were prevented from entering Blenheim's central business district in 2011.

'My only concern is not for the dogs, but for the people who might be scared of them.

'But, overall, it's a good idea so long as owners clean up after their dogs.'

Thomas's saleswoman Alissa Marks-Holdaway says while the trial will be 'pretty good' for Blenheim, she will not take her 10 dogs through town.

She said her cafe offered water bowls for assistance dogs, who were exempt from the bylaw at present, and would be happy for other dogs to stop for water during the trail.

Although the exemption would allow dogs to enter Blenheim's town centre, shop owners would still have the right to deny dogs entry into their stores, Arbuckle said.

Thomas's saleswoman Alissa Marks-Holdaway said while she thought the trial would be 'pretty good' for Blenheim, she would not take her 10 hunting dogs through town during the trail period.

Karma, the French bulldog, at the Champion Dog Show earlier this year.

'We don't walk them on leads, as they're pretty free roaming, so we wouldn't take them into town.

'The trial will be good, and as long as there's a place to put poo bags, then having dogs in town is fine,' she said.

Arbuckle said Blenheim would not turn into a 'run-about dog park' as dogs were still required to be on leashes. He said anyone caught breaking the law would be fined.

Mikey, a collie-whippet cross, down by Taylor River.

Margaret Anderson, owner of 12-year-old huntaway-collie cross Lady, said she wouldn't be taking her pooch to town during the trial as there would be 'too much temptation, with all those biscuits and scones'.

'I think it's fine if the dogs are well behaved and people pick up their poo,' Anderson said. 'But if people want to walk them through town, then I say good luck.'

Dog owner Holly Whittfield said she was unsure how she felt about the trial, as her collie-whippet cross Mikey was a 'little bit crazy' and unused to people.

'I would worry how dogs like mine would take to that many people milling about,' Whittfield said. 'I think it's a cool idea, and especially to have dogs at cafes and stuff in town. I would just want to see well trained dogs.'

Marlborough Mayor John Leggett, who owns the two bichon frise-poodle cross dogs Hugo and Bella, said the trial was a 'great idea' which he was excited to see go ahead.

The council was currently seeking legal advice to see how long the exemption could be granted, Arbuckle said.

'It's not fair to get an exemption for a year, but we're looking at holding it over several days, weeks or months, so we can get a clear idea of what people think,' he said.

Once completed, the council would judge the successfulness of the trial based on input from business owners, the public and animal control officers on patrol during its duration, Arbuckle said.