Dangar Island residents are used to doing things their own way.

In the small, car-free community, nestled in the Hawkesbury River on Sydney’s northern fringe, independence isn’t just a mindset – it’s part of daily life.

But a recent change in how pet dogs can travel to and from the island via its main ferry has left many locals feeling stranded.

Lynne McCarthy and her dog Azule navigate a difficult journey. Audrey Richardson

The island’s ferry service to Brooklyn was folded into Transport for NSW’s Opal network in August, bringing strict new mandates for all dogs to be transported in crates or carriers after decades of leashed, muzzled dogs travelling on the deck.…