Valuable tips on pet ownership and safety

Here’s your chance to learn more about how to be a great pet owner and how to teach children the best ways to interact safely with our furry friends.

July 3-9 is Dog Safety Week, an initiative of Sunshine Coast Council.

Council has created a valuable variety of teaching tools and resources to encourage responsible pet ownership messages for families and educators.

Programs are designed to create a safe and harmonious co-existence between people, pets, and places.

During Dog Safety Week Council is holding a number of responsible pet pop-ups and library sessions.

These will help dog owners understand their responsibilities, including walking on a leash, entering an off-leash park, and sharing space.

It's also important to teach children how to feel safe around dogs and the four steps to greeting a dog.

Four steps to greeting a dog

• Ask your parent or guardian if you could pat the dog
• Ask the dog owner, “Can I please pat your dog?”
• Let the dog come to you first; keep your hand low and in a fist to sniff
• Pat the dog gently on the back or shoulder.

Remind your kids that some dogs are nervous and don’t like pats and never pat a dog that is tied up and alone.

Over the past 12 months, there has been a 40 per cent decrease in dog attacks on children under 12 years reported to the Sunshine Coast Council. Council is dedicated to instilling valuable pet lessons at a young age, to further reduce the number of dog attacks in our community.

Bookings for Sunshine Coast Council Dog Safety Week library sessions are essential. To book visit library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au and search, “For kids and families”.

No bookings required for the Responsible Pet pop-ups. Find times and locations here.

Library Sessions

Thursday, July 6, 9.30-10.15am – Beerwah Library session

Friday, July 7, 9.30-10.15am – Coolum Library session

Responsible Pet Pop-ups

Friday 7 July, 7am–9am – Glenfields Neighbourhood Park, Glenfields Boulevard, Mountain Creek Saturday 8 July, 3–5pm – Quota Hideaway Park, 31 Cootamundra Drive, Mountain Creek