South Gippsland Shire Council has formally adopted its Domestic Animal Management Plan 2026-2029, which proposes introducing a dog on-leash order across the Shire while identifying suitable areas to be designated as off-leash zones.
Mayor Nathan Hersey said the Plan reflects Council's commitment to promoting harmony around pets while adapting management practices in line with an increasing pet population.
"By focusing on communication, education, and strategic new initiatives, we are ensuring a balanced approach that serves our diverse and expanding community," Cr Hersey said.
The on-leash order may well prove to be a bone of contention among beach-loving dog-owners.
Council manages approximately 4.4 kilometres of foreshore at Waratah Bay, where dogs may be required to be leashed, though this is still to be determined as part of further work to inform decision making.
The majority of beaches in South Gippsland are managed by Parks Victoria or the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, with those agencies determining any restrictions on dogs, including leash requirements.
The new measures come as a joint Deakin University and BirdLife Australia study shows widespread non-compliance with dog leash laws across Victorian beaches, putting endangered wildlife at risk.
The study, published in the book Impacts of Invasive Species on Coastal Environments, surveyed 69 beaches across the Victorian coastline from Mallacoota to Portland, finding compliance varied dramatically depending on regulation type.
No-dog zones showed the best compliance at 18 per cent non-compliance, while on-leash-at-all-times zones recorded a staggering 79 per cent non-compliance rate.
Associate Professor Mike Weston said many pet owners simply don't understand the environmental damage dogs can cause.
"Maybe they're just not aware of the damage that dogs can cause to the environment, or because people have close personal relationships with their dogs they want their dogs to have free exercise and they see that as harmless," he said.
Associate Professor Weston said the restrictions protect native wildlife, particularly during spring and summer breeding seasons, with plovers, terns, and seals among the affected species.
Research photographs captured dogs chasing birds, crushing nests, and killing young birds.
"Some people might just think about seagulls, but we're also talking about wildlife that is quite rare and threatened," he said. Cara Schultz
