Dog owners disappointed by new beach bye-laws

Councillors in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown have voted to implement a new set of controversial beach bye-laws that have banned dogs from designated bathing areas on two Southside beaches all year round.

The new bye-laws mean that dogs either on or off leashes will not be allowed on the designated bathing areas at Sandycove and Seapoint beaches at any time of the year.

Following a period of extensive public consultation, councillors voted in favour of the new laws at a meeting on Monday, October 8, by a majority of 19 to 7 votes.

The new bye-laws, which come into effect on January 1, 2013, mean dogs will not be allowed off leash on any of the designated bathing areas at beaches in the county at any time.

However, dogs can be off leash outside designated bathing areas all year round at Seapoint and Killiney beaches and outside the bathing season. Dogs off leash will only be permitted between the hours of 7pm to 10am from September to June, at Sandycove beach.

Dogs on leashes will be permitted in the designated bathing area at Killiney beach from 7pm to 10am during the bathing season, from June to September 15, and at any time of the day outside the bathing season.

Under existing bye-laws dogs on leashes had been allowed at designated bathing areas at Sandycove, Seapoint and Killiney between the hours of 7pm to 10am, during the main June to September 30 bathing season.

The

‘Dogs Unleashed’ campaign made hundreds of submissions on the bye-laws, arguing that dogs should be allowed off leash outside of daylight hours at designated swimming areas during the bathing season and at all times outside the bathing season.

Supporters of the highly organised campaign greatly outnumbered submissions made by other interest groups, including the Seapoint Swimmers’ Association, which vehemently opposed the presence of dogs in designated bathing areas.

Cllr Victor Boyhan (Ind) believed the new bye-laws would punish responsible dog owners.

“Hundreds and hundreds of people went to the trouble to make submissions and we have to listen to them,

? he said.

“The majority of dog owners are responsible and they clean up. The real problem are the few who don’t control their dogs.

?

Richard Shakespeare, the director of Environment, Culture and Community at the council, said the new bye-laws would make significant concessions to dog owners.

He noted that the previous set of bye-laws adopted in 2009 meant that dogs had to be on leashes all year round.

“This is a considerable row back,

? he said.

“It is a liberalisation of the existing bye-laws.

?

Liz Nelligan of the

‘Dogs Unleashed’ campaign said she was disappointed that the bye-laws had been adopted.

“We very much welcome the liberalisation of the beach laws in non-designated bathing areas,

? she said.

“But we are deeply disappointed for the many dog owners who use the beaches daily at Seapoint and Sandycove, causing nobody any harm and mingling with the local community.

“I would emphasise that there are many dog owners who cause nobody any harm when they walk their dogs.

?