To think dogs should be banned from beaches?

[Bedroomdilemma]

At least during nesting season?
www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/14/study-adds-to-calls-to-ban-dogs-from-beaches-during-nesting-season-birds
Not that I’m anti-dog...I’m researching getting a dog. We go for a lot of walks at the moment (not much else to do😄) and I love looking at the dogs on our local beach but it’s also a nature reserve and I’m beginning to get a morally uncomfortable with it. It’s actually mostly a nature reserve for wintering birds so I’m not sure a ban just during nesting season is sufficient.

Why is the whole thread talking about dog shit?

The OP is about the impact on nesting birds.

And the study shows that birds are disturbed by dogs on leads as well as roaming free.

@TooBored

No, dogs shouldnt be banned from beaches. Irresponsible people should be banned from having dogs.

Irresponsible people should also be banned from having children.

@SausagePourHomme

I May be in the minority but i hate dogs being on the beach. I hate that in this country people take their dogs to beauty spots to use as a toilet. Even if you pick up after it's still filthy and children will be playing there touching the sand, people picnicking there. It's gross

The problem is dog owners not cleaning up after their dogs not the dogs themselves.

It's not dogs who leave litter all over the beach is it? Also not dogs that leave dirty nappies either.

It's bad enough for responsible owners that lots of beaches ban dogs in the summer.

I think the best solution is to offer more dog friendly places. Many of the issues arise because, like the cafe you mention lots of dogs are forced into small areas.

Apparently asking dog owners to obey the rules wasn’t working and council workers were being met with abuse

This is the problem. Gives us respectful dog owners a bad name. It's a shame.

Apparently asking dog owners to obey the rules wasn’t working and council workers were being met with abuse

Surely though, if they don't obey rules then banning them won't make any difference?

@WoodYewBee

How about banning humans.... the mess,pollution.... that would solve many problems

Agree.

We need better legislation to deal with the feckless owners, owning a dog should not be an automatic right, there should be some constraints over who is able to own a dog, how many dogs what breed etc. The dog walking industry also needs to be regulated since irresponsible dog walkers are in nuisance.
However the pet industry will lobby against anything which reduces the number of dogs because this will hurt its profits

I've not RTFT but the same should apply to coastline where birds may be nesting as moorland etc - dogs on leads.

Don't let them startle birds flocking on beaches especially in winter either - each additional take-off takes them energy they may not be able to afford.

@SausagePourHomme

I May be in the minority but i hate dogs being on the beach. I hate that in this country people take their dogs to beauty spots to use as a toilet. Even if you pick up after it's still filthy and children will be playing there touching the sand, people picnicking there. It's gross

The world is literally full of s**t. Every single living thing defacates so even on beaches where dogs are banned, your kids are touching poo from birds and other wildlife. Throw in the fact that the sea has often got sewerage in it too and the litter that humans leave, beaches are 'filthy' places in general. Dog poo is the only type that gets removed and is absolutely the least of your problems if that is your mindset.

Our house backs onto fields and there is a path where I see dog walkers on a regular basis not picking up after their dogs. Our local park is known for dog mess we even refer to it as dog poo park. I don’t let my children go on the main grassed areas because of this. I’m sick of it to be honest. If we go to the beach I’m always worried about dog poo on the beach. We used to have a dog and always picked up after him. People are so selfish. Pick up after your dogs and don’t be so damn lazy!

It should be restrictions or bans on nature reserves, some of which are beaches, in my opinion.

As for the comment about some dog owners, I agree- having a dog should be a privilege with responsibilities.

I was at a nature park recently and some dog started barking at a swan, swan responded getting very agitated, the person didn't have the dog on a lead even though everyone else did and that's the rule of that park...

I don't think they should ban dogs unless they are directly disturbing nesting birds, shame they can't be a bit more active in enforcing the rules, it's a reasonable job for someone and then everyone could enjoy the same environment.

Most dog owners are respnsible but there are a few who aren't.

A great many of them aren't. This isn't personal opinion or an arbitrary, sweeping judgement: the evidence is directly proportionate to the piles of shit on public view everywhere.

I was walking up my lane (no pavements) only the other day to the sight of a dog owner stopping to let his dog take a shit on my driveway. I had to stop him and firmly request that he not allow dog to defecate on my drive. He didn't bother to apologise or even respond: it's as if he felt justifiably entitled to foul someone else's property without remonstration.

Our local beach has a 'no dogs' and dog friendly area. It's not enforced and there are always dogs on the 'no dogs' part. Along with the shit, in an area where children play.

It's not the fault of the dogs. Dogs are beautiful animals. It's the owners who are wholly at fault here, along with the assumption that they have an absolute right to let their beloved mutts make life messier and less comfortable for other people.

Most are responsible? That just isn't the case.

I think dogs should always be on leads on beaches.

@TheGodOfSmallThings CONGRATULATIONS! I came on here specifically to see how long before someone said ‘what about cats?’ You win today’s Whataboutery Prize for trying to deflect the thread to a completely different animal not even relevant to the conversation because cats do not frequent beaches in the U.K.

ODFOD

@PatriciaPerch

oh god, I don't want to get in a fight with other wanky dog owners. I saw a lurcher kill a deer the other week and I did report that but it frightened me

Lurchers and greyhounds should always be muzzled if let off lead because they'll go after anything that moves. They're likely not to come back too, so all the people I know with those breeds take them to one of the secure dog paddocks in the area if they want to let them off. We can't blame the dogs, it's what they've been trained to do, so the owners should be taking precautions every time they take them out.

I would like dog free beaches all year round. Then the whiny people without dogs could stay away from beaches where there are dogs.

Ps my dog is on a lead when there are nesting birds.

I live half a mile from a quiet beach (South Coast) which is mostly used by the residents and not many visitors. In the summer our beach is split in two halves - one allowing dogs and one dog-free. Thankfully in our area everyone is decent and we never have poo on the pavements and very rarely on the beach. If it is on the beach it's usually visitors not clearing it up.

[quote FangsForTheMemory]**@TheGodOfSmallThings* CONGRATULATIONS! I came on here specifically to see how long before someone said ‘what about cats?’ You win today’s Whataboutery Prize for trying to deflect the thread to a completely different animal not even relevant to the conversation because cats do not frequent beaches in the U.K.*

ODFOD[/quote]
Charming. You have a lovely day too.

It's bad enough for responsible owners that lots of beaches ban dogs in the summer.

No reason why it should be. 'Responsible' dog owners would clearly recognise why such bans are necessary. It's the old rule of law going back to the earliest days of the classroom: if someone misbehaves, everyone else suffers.

I'd be taking this one up with the (many) who do misbehave. The Beach Rules are simply there to ensure the greater good for the greater number of people, albeit they so often go ignored.

Mumsnetters love banning things.

I'm interested that our nature reserves welcome dogs - so presumably don't have a problem with them flushing birds. This study was done in Spain and I wonder how much of the problem might be all the galgos and podencos in Spain (trained hunters), particularly the thousands of both those breeds that live on the streets and the beaches because they're dumped by their owners as soon as they're no longer useful. Those breeds, like greyhounds and lurchers, will go after anything that moves because that's what they've been trained to do. The Spanish rescues are overflowing with galgos and podencos because so many are homeless.

I live in the south of France where it is really dog-friendly - dogs are allowed on some beaches, not on others, and the rules change at different times of year. I do feel
lucky being able to let him run about down there, and dread them changing the rules, so always take extra poo-bags with me so I can scoop up any turds I find that have been left behind by less diligent owners. I am sure the locals think of me as the Mad English Dog Poo Lady.

@MarieIVanArkleStinks

It's bad enough for responsible owners that lots of beaches ban dogs in the summer.

No reason why it should be. 'Responsible' dog owners would clearly recognise why such bans are necessary. It's the old rule of law going back to the earliest days of the classroom: if someone misbehaves, everyone else suffers.

I'd be taking this one up with the (many) who do misbehave. The Beach Rules are simply there to ensure the greater good for the greater number of people, albeit they so often go ignored.

It's not necessary to ban dogs from the whole beach. Several of the beaches where I live are split in two for the summer. Half for the dogs and half dog-free from 1st May to 30th September. It's a perfect solution and everyone is happy.