• Jacqui Fairfax and Pig the pug.
JACQUI FAIRFAX was left scratching her head Wednesday when a Fremantle ranger hopped out of her “eyes on the streets” van to talk to her about her pug.
Her tiny snuffler was on a retractable lead during their Esplanade park stroll, and Ms Fairfax had yellow poo bags in hand, so she wondered why the ranger was beetling over.
“She said she wanted to warn me not to let the lead extend past two metres,” the Henry Street local told the Herald, which had been breakfasting at the Carriage cafe and witnessed the bewildering exchange.
“She wasn’t thanking me for doing the right thing with Pig on a lead and having the bags in hand, she was talking to me like a school girl.”
The exasperated West End local says it’s the second time Freo rangers have gone out of their way to pre-emptively warn her about leash length.
“The other time was early in the morning and there was absolutely no-one in sight. They drove across the reserve to tell me to keep the lead under two metres.
“When I asked why, they said because it might be dangerous for passers-by. There was no-one around! There are so many dogs that run around not on leads, why would they single him out?”
Council media bugle Jason Cunningham says rangers pride themselves on educating the public.
“In both these instances they were merely ensuring the person was aware of the…rule to avoid any future issues,” he says.
But Ms Fairfax says the exchange ruined her morning walk. “They were over-zealous…I was doing the right thing, minding my own business.”
There was something off about uniformed authorities stopping people from going about their business to warn them about laws they hadn’t broken.
by JENNY D’ANGER
Our household has two Pugs and to think that they might be dangerous is rather ludicrous. I suggest that the City of Fremantle rangers need to “pride themselves” on getting themselves educated before bothering about others. They need to learn about the breed for starters and also how to engage with the public. Maybe the City should get its rangers on bicycles so they can chill out a bit and be a bit more relaxed in their dealings with the community 🙂
There is something off about lycra clad authorities stopping people from going about their business to warn them about laws they hadn’t broken.
I have it on good authority that the Pud dog concerned was not even registered and the owner has been cautioned more than once about the problem . The Ranger was only pointing out the rules to the owner.
Rangers take a pride in educating the public! Get real. I too was stopped by a female ranger on the area behind South Beach. I had a dog and it wasn’t on a lead. I was told that I was not allowed to have a dog there at all and I pointed out that there were no signs to that effect. She then pointed out a sign in the car park. I pointed out that I had accessed the area from the beach and would she please show me the signs. I sure rangers can be charming but Fremantle has more to worry about that dogs. Walking a dog is hardly the pointy end of the anti social behaviour the city is becoming infamous for.