Let’s talk about dogs!
The beach has gone to the dogs much to the chagrin of our nesting birds and turtles and me.

When I was a second homeowner, and not a full time resident, I’d get up at 6:30 am to walk my dog before the walking path got too hot for him. He’d walk forever and I’d have to carry a water bottle for him and me. I’d walk to the showers at Park West and cool him down before we headed back home. I thought wouldn’t it be nice if they had a water fountain for dogs or a cooling station or a place where they could jump in the water and cool down. He loved going to the dog park at Bayview and loved running around at the off leash park on the water there. Lo and behold some beach residents got together, got a petition, and asked for dog parks on the beach. PBA did not take a position for or against because our membership was pretty much split 50/50 as to whether or not that was a good idea according to then president, Terry Preston. Fast forward to the next time I was in town and the dog parks were approved: One at Park East and one at Park West. I drove down to where Dog Park West was supposed to be, or so I thought, but didn’t see signs or dogs. When I finally found it I was surprised of the location..smack dab in the middle of a residential community. I obviously missed a huge hullabaloo because the neighborhood across from the Park West location came out fighting because that park was not originally supposed to be there. Park East Dog Park got placed out in the middle of nowhere! Well, now it is a very crowded nowhere, but which part of our beach isn’t crowded? Knowing the committee members who were lobbying for the dog parks, I know they were specifically told placing them in a residential neighborhood would not be a smart idea and this was early on before any locations had been determined. They were also told they would not be allowed to be off leash parks like the ones in town.

Well like everything else on the beach, the SRIA does what they want and the story as to why Dog Park West was placed where it is has many versions. No one complains about Dog Park East, but many residents who live on Ft. Pickens wish the park had gone West of the last parking lot where many thought it was going. Including me. Another big bone of contention arose when people were complaining about the parks not being conducive to the natural ecosystem on the beach and there were always complaints about dogs being on parts of the beach where they should not be. One old SRIA boardmember told me dog’s weren’t even supposed to be allowed outside or off their property. Well that law has obviously gone by the wayside, but what happens if we need animal control to enforce our no dogs on the beach laws except in designated dog parks?

SRIA saw the need for enforcement, but the county said they couldn’t do it. Last time I checked we were still a part of the county but here’s another example of how they can’t provide the service…because we are too far away! So SRIA had to pony up the money if we wanted an animal control officer to patrol our beaches full time and enforce the dog park regulations. So be it. We got one. Then she got hurt… and it took about 9 months to get another one….and then she quit after two weeks…and then we got another one…and he got fired because peopled didn’t like being told they are breaking rules and they get nasty and he had to get tough. The very first one was tough, too, and she’d greet you with dog treats and politely tell you you were breaking the rules so move or go home. And then animal control didn’t support the patrol personnel if they had to go to court or with the right equipment to do their job. They would have to patrol the beach on foot…even the lifeguard’s don’t do that. And the last animal patrol person didn’t do it either, but that’s a different story. So now we have none.

I have asked SRIA, twice , how they propose to enforce no dogs on the beach. The law is very clear as to how it must be enforced. It could be a lifeguard with a law enforcement person present, or it could be a law Enforcement personnel or….an animal control officer. In Okaloosa County it could be a Code Enforcement officer. We have zero enforcement going on right now. There are several ways to enforce in my mind. Lifeguards could give a shoutout on a bullhorn like they do when you are not supposed to be in the water. Sheriff deputies as they patrol beaches on their three wheelers, “Excuse me sir, dogs are not allowed outside designated dog parks.” Or since we live in the county they could provide us with the service we need: an animal control enforcement Sensitive turn on the handle long way officer on the beach.

Our tourism officials see a market for dog travel. We have dog friendly hotels on the beach and the chamber and visitors centers actually have a pamphlet listing all of the dog friendly restaurants on the beach, in addition to one stating where dogs are allowed and where they aren’t. Can we get a little enforcement please? Are we not part of the county?

Let me tell you what it’s like going to the beach by a dog park. Barking all the time, dog fights because bad owners don’t follow rules and keep their dogs on a leash, visitors and locals blatantly disobeying the signage at the parks and waltzing right past the “No dogs past this sign.” Abandoned dogs tied up to the crossover..with her puppies. Heart wrenching! Dogs getting overheated because they don’t like the water enough to cool off their paws. And my favorite, bad dog owners not picking up their dog’s poop or covering it up with sand.
This is not just at the dog parks, it’s everywhere. I’ve been scratched, jumped on, peed on( well my chair has), and watched our beach get ruined. I’ve watched the dogs throw up from the salt water and have diarrhea because of it and the Gulf just washes it out.

Ok folks, our beach deserves better than this and like everything else out here if you can’t do a better job of managing it then you shouldn’t have it. You’re right to have your dog out in the dog parks with you is no greater than my right to be able to go to the beach.

Put the dog parks at Casino Beach where the lifeguards, sheriff deputies and showers are. All that authority would be intimidating enough for people to perhaps follow the rules. The dog friendly restaurants and hotels are in the core too. That’s just my opinion, but I have to say that when I signed that petition for a dog park on the beach, I never in a million years thought I’d see so much abuse. If the Gulf Isles National Seashore and their park rangers can figure out how to enforce their rules, why can’t we?

Maybe we can. Great big congratulations to Marc Marrocco our new SRIA District 4 representative appointed by Commissioner Hofberger. Here at PBA we are very proud of him because he is one of us and was a new boardmember. He joined us because he wanted change! We want him to do just that. I know the residents are proud!

Join PBA today for a better beach tomorrow.