Sept. 7, 2014, 10 p.m.

POLL: Northern Illawarra dog owners are preparing to fight for their off-leash beaches.

Dog owners playing on the off-leash area at Sharkeys Beach. Picture: SYLVIA LIBER

Northern Illawarra dog owners are joining forces and preparing to fight for their off-leash beaches in the face of controversial changes to Wollongong City Council's dogs on beaches policy.

A Facebook page dedicated to the cause has attracted more than 2200 likes, while the Wollongong Dog Community group has gathered 250 email subscribers in less than two weeks.

The community action group, which held its first meeting in Thirroul on Saturday, plans to raise a number of concerns at a meeting with councillors in coming weeks.

Under planned changes to its dogs on beaches and parks policy, the council has recommended dogs only be allowed on Sharkeys, McCauleys and Little Austinmer beaches at restricted times, provided they are on a leash.

Solution wanted: Wollongong Dog Community meets at Thirroul library to discuss proposed changes to the council's policy for dogs on beaches. Picture: CHRISTOPHER CHAN

Of a weekend, northern suburbs dog owners would be forced to drive to Bellambi beach - up to an 80-minute round trip for some residents - to let their dogs run off-leash.

Committee member David Hurley described the proposed changes as "radical" and said owners were struggling to understand why they were put forward.

Read the original:

Beaches dog fight: northern Illawarra residents form pack: Poll