Nov. 17, 2014, 9:28 p.m.

Wollongong City Council's vote has gone to the dogs, so to speak, with staff recommending man's best friend be allowed to keep frolicking unleashed on northern suburbs beaches.

Donna Bennett plays with her dog Percy at Thirrouls McCauleys Beach yesterday. Picture: CHRISTOPHER CHAN

Wollongong City Council's vote has gone to the dogs, so to speak, with staff recommending man's best friend be allowed to keep frolicking unleashed on northern suburbs beaches.

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

Group spokeswoman Donna Bennett said she was "ecstatic" to read the council's recommendation, published on Monday, which would continue to allow dogs to roam free on Sharkeys, McCauleys, Little Austinmer and Stanwell Park beaches.

"People have put their lives on hold to fight this, so you would think common sense will prevail," she said.

Several changes to the council's dogs on beaches policy were proposed in July, with councillors saying they needed to reach a compromise between residents who walked their dogs and those who did not agree with dogs having access to beaches.

During the exhibition process the council received about 2000 submissions and two petitions with about 3000 signatures, the vast majority of which supported the existing beach zones.

Now, staff have published three options for councillors to consider next week - one of which includes removing the off-leash areas from the contentious northern beaches - but clearly state the "no change" option is the one to pick.

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Wollongong Council closer to unleashing beach dogs