Being responsible to the public safety is the best policy for Nelson city council to be looking at.
Dogs downtown, even on a leash, are never reared to behaviour. This has been my longtime experience that even though dog owners treat their dogs as children, a dog on a leash is prone to cross in front of the people walking towards them and causing a nasty trip. Council must consider the injury factor.
Dog owners, you must know that downtown is for commerce, not for your pleasure time with your dog. This is not la la land and dogs have a field, your backyard, the whole wilderness surrounding Nelson and many trails to walk.
What about us non-dog owners who want peace, quiet, and to be free from dog disputes? Even on the beach a wet dog shaking it off is an assault... uggg!
I believe that a donkey dog downtown atmosphere will hurt tourism, and the dogs that go to doggie hair care always leave their stuff in the alley and not in a doggie bag.
Jana Mayrhofer-Harmon
Nelson