Councillors will vote next week on whether to formalise the northern section of Yallingup Beach as a dog exercise area.
The one-kilometre section north of Dawson Drive has already been informally used as a dog exercise area for several years.
If approved at next Wednesday's Busselton City Council meeting, rangers will be able to police the area.
A report to the council said that changing what had become custom practice for many years would be "problematic".
"If dogs were prohibited, or required to be on-leash it would create an influx of complaints...whenever non-compliance is observed by those who oppose dogs on the beach."
The report said the change would allow the city to educate dog owners and take stronger enforcement action.
During community consultation, six nearby property owners opposed the proposal, and an overwhelming 34 supported it.
The state government requested the change following complaints from beach users about nuisance behaviour of dogs left unattended by owners in the water.
After community consultation between 2014-16, dogs were banned in the stretch south of Dawson Drive.
At the time, the council already considered declaring the northern stretch a dog exercise area but as the land was believed to be within the marine park this did not eventuate.
If approved by the council, the changes would be expected to come into effect in about four to six weeks.
It would be the only dog exercise beach on the Western Cape.
A portion of Smiths Beach is a seasonal dog exercise area, meaning dogs are prohibited on the beach from 9am to 5pm, from December to February.
Daniela Cooper
Daniela has returned to her first love after a decade of working in local, state and federal governments, non-profits and the corporate world. She has a passion for injustice; to be a voice for those who don't have one; to hold power to account; and to bring readers the news without fear. She loves to explore new places and unfamiliar topics (both in her professional and private life) but her go-to loves are travel, health, social justice, foreign affairs and the outdoors. Email daniela.cooper@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Daniela has returned to her first love after a decade of working in local, state and federal governments, non-profits and the corporate world. She has a passion for injustice; to be a voice for those who don't have one; to hold power to account; and to bring readers the news without fear. She loves to explore new places and unfamiliar topics (both in her professional and private life) but her go-to loves are travel, health, social justice, foreign affairs and the outdoors. Email daniela.cooper@austcommunitymedia.com.au
