Dogs terrorise horses

Broome Turf Club chiefs are calling for by-law changes to a section of Cable Beach at Gantheaume Point after complaints that dogs were terrorising racehorses being exercised.

In one incident last week, a dog reportedly bit and chased race round winner Poco.

The filly reared up and threw her jockey before galloping into the ocean with the dog in chase.

Her rider escaped with minor bruising.

Shire of Broome president Graeme Campbell said the attacks were "disturbing".

Mr Campbell said one official complaint had been received, while the council was waiting for another to be lodged formally before being investigated.

"The issue has been discussed with Broome Turf Club representatives at length and rangers are now investigating a variety of options to both protect the horses that are exercised on the beach and their riders and trainers, and to also provide exercise areas for the town's many dogs and their owners," he said.

Cable Beach from Gantheaume Point to 750m south of the north access ramp is a designated dog exercise area under local law.

It means that while dogs do not need to be on a lead, they must be kept under control at all times by a competent person who is carrying a lead and is able to attach it to the dog.

The council also has a policy regulating horses on Cable Beach, which allows them to exercise within a 1.5km stretch extending north from the "cars prohibited" sign near Gantheaume Point, and to access the beach for 500m south of that sign.

The Broome Turf Club said it was aware of other incidents in which dogs had frightened horses at the location over the past fortnight.

Racehorse trainers, jockeys and owners use the popular beach during the Pearl Coast racing season because it is metres from the track and stable areas.

Club manager Doug Milner said he had written to the council requesting that dogs be kept on leads from 5.30am to 10am Monday to Saturday, starting in early May and continuing until the end of August.

"We are not asking for the world and are not expecting that the dogs be banned from the beach, as they have been in a few places that I have been personally involved in," Mr Milner said.

"We are simply asking that the horses be given a fair go.

"They provide a lot of entertainment and an economic benefit to the region and the beach is a critical part of the reason they come here, so they can train.

"Ideally, we want to have the use of that beach in the morning until about 10am without the threat of someone getting seriously injured or killed or a horse being ruined for the rest of the year, which happened to Poca."

Mr Milner said the impact would be insignificant because of the number of people the changes would disadvantage.

"There are so many other places and beaches and parks around Broome people can take a dog and let it off the lead instead of the council pushing the horses further up the beach as they have in the past," he said.

"But this is the only beach that the horses can satisfactorily use. All the other beaches are either too far away or they are not suitable for training the horses on.

"I don't think this is a big ask and I hope common sense will prevail."

Under the WA Dog Act, a dog attack takes place when physical injury is caused to a person or another animal or if there is intimidating behaviour toward a person or another animal.