North Sydney Council may soon start charging professional dog walkers

Could you tell the difference between someone walking a pooch for pleasure, and walking it for money? 

In North Sydney, staff rangers may face this challenge, in the wake of the Monday night’s council meeting.

A staff report to North Sydney councillors, which proposed introducing a fee system for professional dog walkers and others who use council land for business, was debated in the chamber on Monday night.

Those targeted would include personal trainers, kayak tour operators and companies that organise weddings on council land.

When asked how council rangers would differentiate between individuals walking their own dogs and those operating commercially, a spokesperson said that “typically, commercial dog walkers walk multiple dogs and operate regularly in public spaces. Rangers will also engage with users to clarify their status and make sure they are complying with the conditions of their permit.”

A fee structure was not detailed in the staff report, however permit prices in other local LGAs may give a guide. In Lane Cove dog walkers are charged $2,400 annually for a permit along with a $70 registration fee. 

In the Ryde LGA, a local resident walking dogs for less than 10 hours a week pays $353 annually, while use of public space for more than 10 hours a week results in a fee of $708.

Kevin Nicholls, a Willoughby local who operates a small dog walking business, told the Lorikeet he would be happy to go through a registration process and pay a moderate fee, but disagreed with the proposal if it was to operate as a “money making exercise”. 

If the fees were similar to those charged in Lane Cove, Nicholls said “the bigger companies would be able to absorb it, whereas the smaller companies would suffer”.

“I’m a small family business, I’m 74 years of age. Having to find an extra two-and-a-half grand would be difficult for me.”

In response to the staff report, councillors voted on Monday night to send the proposal out for public consultation. When the draft policy is published for exhibition, you can comment via the council website.

Image credit: Samuel Regan-Asante via Unsplash, North Sydney Council