Nov. 24, 2014, 8 p.m.

Several Wollongong beaches will remain playgrounds for pooches after the citys councillors voted to retain the current off-leash beach zonings.

Several Wollongong beaches will remain playgrounds for pooches after the citys councillors voted to retain the current off-leash beach zonings.

The proposal put to councillors at Monday nights meeting for there to be no change to off-leash beach zonings throughout the city came after nearly four months of heated protests and social media campaigning, mostly from the pro-dogs-on-beaches lobby group Unleash Our Beaches.

Supporters of the current system, which allows dogs to continue to roam free on Sharkeys, McCauleys, Little Austinmer and Stanwell Park beaches, say the beaches should be shared equally between dogs and people, however those calling for a more restrictive system say priority should be given to humans.

At Monday nights meeting, councillors voted 11-2 to back the staff recommendation that the policy remain unchanged, following a mammoth two hours of debate.

Three public addresses opened the meeting, with Illawarra Dog Community Group spokesperson Diana Messum and Austinmer vet Dr Warwick Prowse in favour of retaining the status quo, while resident Ron McMaster called for a greater restriction of dogs on beaches.

Ms Messum said the results of the survey overwhelmingly supported no change to the current policy.

Dr Prowse, a former RSPCA director, said the vast majority of dog owners displayed responsible dog ownership practices.

To me its madness to control the few problems that may occur by shutting out all the dogs [from the beach], he said.

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Off-leash beach zonings to stay