Re: ‘Pooch park wanted' (The Weekend Sun, April 10, pg 13). After reading Mel Osborn's reasoning for wanting a dog park in Tauranga, we as a NZ Kennel Club-registered Agility Club in Tauranga wish to respond.

Tauranga Dog Training Club run year round classes teaching agility at all levels, be it competitive or simply to enrich your canine companion's life and have been doing so for the last 25 years.

We work closely with Tauranga City Council with regards to our rental of clubrooms and bookings of grounds - both for weekly training nights and shows, which as a NZKC member we must hold four each year. These are not fenced grounds.

Our dog sport is governed by a numerous rules and regulations mainly to do with a dog's safety.

Our teaching methods must uphold these rules and all of our equipment must comply with a Warrant of Fitness.

Serious injury can occur in this sport, especially to a young dog if not taught correctly. To compete in our sport you must belong to a registered club. There are four registered agility clubs in the Bay of Plenty area. For more information on our sport, visit www.dogagility.org.nz

Our members and pupils are also encouraged to practise at any park they take there dogs too. There are a lot of grounds in Tauranga where you can set up your own gear - and they are certainly not fenced areas.

Our dogs are under our control and are our responsibility having a fence around an area doesn't change this. We fear it may make some owners too complacent in regards to their dog's behaviour. Who would govern this park? We are in fact very lucky in Tauranga to have a huge variety of areas to exercise our dogs. Of course things can always be improved on, but with very careful thought.

K Hammond, Tauranga Dog
Training Club Committee.