1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: Auckland Councils considering new restriction for dog walkers councils. The 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: council is suggesting a maximum of six dogs we walked 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: together at a time, with only thrieving allowed off leash. 4 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: It's also looking at making more of Auckland's fourteen regional 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: parks and sixty four local parks completely dog free. Feedback 6 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: on the proposals is now being accepted. Cassie Jeffries is 7 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:24,079 Speaker 1: a dog walker from the Professional dog Walkers Association. She 8 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: joins me, now, good morning, Cassie, thanks for your time. 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:28,639 Speaker 2: Good morning. How are you doing good? 10 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: Hey? What are these restrictions going to mean for professional 11 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: dog walkers? 12 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 2: At this stage? Council hasn't given us any other options, 13 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 2: so it'll mean exactly what it means to everyone else. 14 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 2: Most likely a lot of services will have to change 15 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 2: if this all goes through. 16 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: How will that a pac impact your business? 17 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 2: For me? We walk packs of about fourteen, so we 18 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 2: will be looking at dropping numbers, possibly maybe going to 19 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 2: private land. We haven't completely decided yet, but we are 20 00:00:58,360 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 2: looking at lots of different options. 21 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, because you kind of get hit two ways, don't 22 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: you get hit on where you can go? And you 23 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: can get hit on how many dogs you can. 24 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 2: Take exactly, And for us, it's not necessarily about the numbers. 25 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 2: But the reason we run the service way that we 26 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,040 Speaker 2: do is so that it's affordable for people. We pick 27 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,480 Speaker 2: up a group of dogs, we take them out to 28 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 2: the beach or the forest, places that do take or 29 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 2: require quite a bit of driving. So we do spend 30 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 2: a lot of money on petrol and the way we 31 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 2: balance out all those costs taking the numbers that we do, 32 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 2: and we do want to keep our service as affordable 33 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 2: as we can for people to actually utilize it, because 34 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,040 Speaker 2: a massive three our adventure in the middle of the 35 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 2: day is so good for so many dogs when they 36 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 2: have quite high energy needs. 37 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: Okay, see, do you know how much of the complaints 38 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: to counsel are actually about walking multiple dogs? 39 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 2: Zero point seven percent of all complaints received last year. 40 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: Right, So you're taking a hit here, and I imagine 41 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: you're taking I imagine you're taking a hit here because 42 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: there's probably a few people out there that aren't as experienced, 43 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: knowledgeable who have entered into the industry causing some issues. 44 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: Would that be fair to say. 45 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, So there's obviously been a lot of feedback, 46 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 2: especially last year due to an issue with a particular 47 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 2: dog walker, and we've been very aware of her for 48 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 2: quite a long time. We also tried to get to 49 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 2: stop doing what she was doing and then unfortunately it 50 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:24,359 Speaker 2: just went the wrong way. But yeah, there's been a 51 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 2: lot of negative feedback. Realistically, though, the actual feed that 52 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 2: council has gotten is so much left. 53 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: Okay, So if the council looked at easing the rules 54 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: for professional dog walkers, what would you like to see? 55 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: What would help? 56 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 2: So we're pushing for a licensing system. We think it 57 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:46,519 Speaker 2: would have a lot a much better effect. Basically, any 58 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 2: kind of limit it ignores the real situation. Walking multiple 59 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 2: dogs requires training for both handlers and dogs and the 60 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 2: establishment of processes and safety and so that we can 61 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 2: create a quality service. 62 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: Right Yeah, I mean, I agree, I agree with you. 63 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: I'm not a dog owner, but I'm out and about 64 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 1: walking around a lot and i'd like to know that, 65 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: you know, whoever's got fourteen dogs knows what they're doing, 66 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: right yeah, yeah. 67 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly that. And so with a licensing system, we 68 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 2: would actually be able to monitor those dog walkers. We 69 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 2: might be able to put them a certification system. We 70 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 2: might be able to ensure that they have a certain 71 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 2: level of dog first aid, and I M sure they 72 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 2: actually have control of their dogs, and if they don't, 73 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: we can take those licenses off them and they can 74 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 2: stop operating. 75 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: Oh sounds good. Thanks so much for your input, Cassie 76 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: really appreciate that. That was Cassie. Jeffries, a dog walker 77 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: from the Professional Dog Walkers Association, can to hear what 78 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: you think about this. Wherever you are, is there a 79 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: problem with dogs? Would you like to see more restrictions 80 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: on dogs where they can go, how many dogs a 81 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: dog walker can take with them. I think the council's 82 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: heading in the right direction here, but I think you 83 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: are say you've got to be really careful that you're 84 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: not penalizing all those people who know what they're doing 85 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: and are really responsible dog owners. For more from early 86 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to news talks there'd 87 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: be from five am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.