Poppy was doing it ruff when Karen Brewer adopted her more than two years ago.
The boxer staffy had the ball of her hip removed and was limping.
Eventually, she’ll need a hip replacement, but Ms Brewer says that thanks to daily exercises, Poppy’s leg is getting stronger.
Ms Brewer wants to take Poppy to an off-leash dog park and get her moving, but the closest dog park to Diggers Rest, where Ms Brewer lives, is 15 kilometres away in Hillside.
She is lobbying Melton council to build a dedicated dog park in Diggers Rest and says many residents are keen on the idea.
“Lots more people have animals and they walk them every night,” Ms Brewer said.
“The community here seems to be either young families who take their kids and dogs to the park or older people, like myself, who like getting out and getting a bit of exercise.”
Melton council corporate services general manager Maurie Heaney said that while council hadn’t been exploring the idea for a dog park in Diggers Rest, it would be reviewing the master plan for Diggers Rest Recreation Reserve during the current financial year.
“It is difficult to estimate the exact cost of the park,” he said. “However the base cost to develop an adequate dog park in an open space area would be in the vicinity of $35,000 to $60,000, [and] an ongoing program for management and maintenance of the area.”
There are two off-leash dog parks in the municipality – at Boronia Drive, Hillside, and Navan Park, Melton West.
