‘Puppy Parking’ trial for Salamanca Market
Published on 09 January 2018
The City of Hobart has teamed up with the RSPCA in a new initiative set to trial a supervised ‘puppy parking’ station at the highly popular Salamanca Market.
The Lord Mayor said the new puppy parking station was a great way for people to walk their dog to the market, knowing that their dog will be minded in a safe environment while they enjoy a day out with the whole family.
“For the cost of a donation to the RSPCA, people can leave their dog with RSPCA volunteers for up to two hours, with each dog getting its own designated tie up point, a comfortable mat and a bowl of water in a shady area on Salamanca Lawns right next to the market.
“While there, owners can also choose to select other RSPCA services such as worming, microchipping and dog walking,” said the Lord Mayor.
Alderman Bill Harvey, Chairman of the Council’s Community Culture and Events Committee said that the innovative idea came from the local dog community and the Council worked with the RSPCA to come up with the concept.
“The Market recently brought in a new policy of no dogs walking through the market to make it safer not only for dogs, but also people who, in such a busy environment could potentially trip over them.
“While working to inform local dog owners about the new policy, it was suggested that rather than a blanket ban on dogs at the market, we could look at providing a safe and dedicated area where people could leave their dogs and go shopping at the market,” said Ald Harvey.
The Lord Mayor predicted the service would be in high-demand.
“We hope this encourages more people to walk to market if they can bring their dog. Walking is a great way to stay fit and healthy and it’s great for our dogs too – they love the exercise and mental stimulation,” said the Lord Mayor.
The six week trial commences on Saturday 13 January 2018, operating between 10 am and 2 pm from the Silo end of Salamanca Lawns.
Puppy parking can cater for up to 20 dogs at any one time for a maximum of two hours. The service is all for the cost of a donation that goes directly to the RSPCA.