Back in the happy simple past, we didn’t have or need off-leash dog parks because, while there were leash rules, few took much notice.
Dogs could wander along suburban streets, picking up scraps and a scratch behind the ears as they went.
You could throw a ball in a park and no-one complained.
I remember an inner-Brisbane neighbour with pet ducks (don’t ask me why) and every weekday morning, the traffic would stop so mother and brood could waddle across the road.
Most drivers would smile.
Small towns had dogs that were everyone’s and no-one’s. They had names, people knew them and no-one lost an eye.
Dingoes were fed on K’gari and there were no attacks (statistical fact). Kids could play cricket in the street at the Cooloola Coast, watched by wild horses, not always by parents.
Now, someone would complain. And rules would be enforced.
Dog parks help restore this lost freedom.
At Gympie’s Lake Alford and Archery Park off-leash areas, you may find some of the happiest dogs in Australia, and even extremist owners – members of a growing cult who believe their lives gain meaning from the happiness of their pets.
I happily confess to now being one of these weirdos.
“Are these the happiest places in Gympie?” several have asked.
At Archery Park last Friday, the dogs had us provide a birthday party for their mate Daisy, now two.
Wading pools, splashing and rambunctious behaviour were orders of the day.
Humans, it turns out, are quite smart and can sometimes be trained to perform useful tasks for their owners.
