Of course dogs should always be allowed on beaches but there should be plenty of dog free stretches to accommodate those who dislike dogs

There is something very odd going on with this poll - I suggest that it is being cheated by someone! For several weeks, since it first appeared, the results were steady with about 25% for 'Yes' and 75% for 'No', with just a handful of votes being added each day. Then suddenly, within the last three days, over 250 votes have been added to the 'Yes' vote. Consequently, at this moment, the results are 47% for 'Yes' and 53% for 'No'. If this trend continues then by tomorrow the 'Yes' vote will have overtaken the 'No' vote. Someone is manipulating the result. I suggest that the administrator of this website should close the poll and remove all votes cast within the previous three or four days.

Many dog owners clean up after their animals in in towns and streets but do they clean up after thier animals on beaches? My observations indicate to me that this is very dependent on who else is around on the beach at the time! With many dog owners, if they can get away without having to carry a full doggy bag around they will, which is why we find so many unpleasant little doggy bag packages left discarded and abandoned on paths, under hedges and in dark little corners in our towns.
Many well popular beaches that allow dog access are free of the offending material for one reason; there are too many witnesses. Come the evening dog walkers on the beach can leave there animals to mess in peace in the knowledge that the incoming tide will sweep away the mess. Unfortunately this is not always the case so the following morning little Johnny finds something soft and malodourous squeezing between his toes!
The solution to the dog mess problem generally is to control the number of dogs in the country, say restrict families to one dog per household for family pets and licences for working dogs.

I can't see the problem with dogs running on a beach, it's so enjoyable for both dogs and their owners!

Most dog owners are very responsible and clear up after their dogs, unlike many other people that use our beaches.

Why should we be used as a scapegoat?

Gill Friend

its not the dogs that are the problem its people !

our recent visit to studland bay confirmed this dog beaches are provided which is excellent so dogs and their owners can enjoy a day out allowing people without dogs onto the dog free beaches to wallow in their litter nappies etc!

a small minority of people leave litter and mess
soiled nappies , cans , litter why ? when there are plenty of bins provided by the entrance

dogs are not the problem there will always be a minority of bad owners and litter mongers thats life

dogs as always are scapegoats for this scaremongering about diseases

lets not forget sewage that none of us are aware of potentially in our blue flag beaches

leave dogs alone

s shaw

I once worked as a beach lifeguard and had to enforce to rule of keeping dogs out of a section of the beach. Dog owners were often pretty annoyed but at least there were other areas of the beach for them to use. And the 'bathing area' was filled with the rubbish left from the departing public, including many a soiled nappy and this was even though every single person leaving the beach would have to pass at least two dustbins and possibly recycling bins too!

Clean up the people first and then think about whether there is a need to clean up the dogs too!

Given the horrendous current state of beaches in Britain, with their water pollution, largely from our sewage overflow system, there would be little point in banning dogs from any beaches. At least in general dogs mess can be seen, avoided, and is washed away at each tide.

The bacterial infections available from the sewage/water mix that is part of the bathing water on many of even our most highly acclaimed bathing beaches, needs to be addressed, with far greater urgency than the consideration of banning dogs from all beaches.

Is this another case of finding a scapegoat to point a finger at while the real polluters get away with it ?.... possibly.

As a responsible dog owner, I seek to clean up after my couple of terriers, when we get on any beach. I do not however swim in our coastal waters as they are just plain filthy, often with raw sewage, but more lethally bacterial infection.

The water companies need to clean up their act, stop their prime concern being Share holders , and replace it with the people and wildlife of this beautiful country ! After all it will all be paid for by the customer in the end !

Our coastal watres are dying, we are overwhelming our coasts[and much else] with human pollution.

A perrenial question that provokes a lot of emotion.I don't believe having watched the sheer enthusiasm and joy of our own dog running freely on the beach that a few selfish people not picking up the dog poo,should spoil it for the majority that do.While it is undoubtedly true that there is the potential for some nasty afflictions,it is also no less true that people leaving soiled nappies,tampons,plastic bottles,food wrappersetc... the list is endless are poisoning our waters and ruining others enjoyment of our beaches.The beaches were there well before we came along.We don't own it,it was given to us for everyone to enjoy! Antis please get real!