Are dogs no longer allowed on beaches?

unkel

Friend (not a dog lover) told me recently that dogs have been banned from beaches for the summer this year. Can't find anything about this, also do not recall seeing this on the news or anywhere else in the media

My dog (Labrador bitch, nearly 3 years old) loves swimming in the sea chasing balls and running on the beach doing same. Was going to take her for a good outing tomorrow. But a bit pointless going to the beach if she is not allowed on it

I usually go to quieter areas of fairly quiet beaches anyway and my dog is well behaved and she does not approach other people or other dogs - she's only interested in retrieving the ball

Any truth to this ban? Any link to anything official about this?

Duke of Url

Nope

Dogs are not banned from beaches.

punisher5112

Would it be mistaken that it is must beon a lead.

Quite possible for different councils to change bye laws but can't comment.

ronivek

Duke of Url wrote: »

Nope

Dogs are not banned from beaches.

That’s categorically untrue.

The real answer is: it depends on the local bye laws.

What specific beaches in which county were you planning on bringing your dog?

SchrodingersCat

I didnt hear it either.

unkel

He is in Wicklow, maybe he was referring to that. Greystones perhaps?

I usually take the dog to any of the North county Dublin beaches like Donabate, Skerries, Portrane, etc. or sometimes even further afield like Laytown, Bettystown

pinktoe

Dogs can only be at certain beaches at specified times. Our favourite beach has a no dog rule after 11am. Times vary with different beaches and some have a no dog allowed at any time.

I haven't seen any signs or been stopped by the life guards this year so surely no such rule exists.

Eduard Khil

Definitely gonna be dependent on local info check twitter feed of local beach Cork Beo has an article of dog friendly beaches in Cork from about a week ago but as said local bye laws may differ especially blue flag beaches.

unkel

None of the beaches I mentioned are blue flag beaches anyway

Eduard Khil

Any of them that might be frequently used maybe avoid them during peak time, used to love my family bringing our crazy dogs to the beach for a run they'd splash about too.

ronivek

unkel wrote: »

He is in Wicklow, maybe he was referring to that. Greystones perhaps?

I usually take the dog to any of the North county Dublin beaches like Donabate, Skerries, Portrane, etc. or sometimes even further afield like Laytown, Bettystown

https://www.fingal.ie/sites/default/files/2019-04/beach_and_foreshore_byelaws_2006.pdf

You can find the full bye-laws for Fingal beaches etc. above. The summary is:

The dog/s must be and continue to be under proper control and be effectively restrained from causing annoyance or danger to any person.

The dog/s are permitted on the beach/foreshore only without a leash during the months, days and times (periods of the day) stipulated below:
June, July, August 6.00pm to 11.00am
(i.e. after 6.00pm in the evening and before 1.00am in the morning)

Between 11.00am and 6.00pm during these months dogs must be on a leash in Reserved Bathing Areas.

All other days any time of the day during the months of :
January, February, March, April, May, September, October, November, & December.

unkel

Excellent. Thanks very much for posting that.

ronivek

unkel wrote: »

Excellent. Thanks very much for posting that.

No worries; kinda annoying that each county council may have different bye laws but I think many would be quite similar. And of course you’d be very unlucky to get pulled up on it outside of the busiest sunniest days.

unkel

And to confirm, there was actually a sign on the beach (Balbriggan) saying dogs must be on a leash between 11AM and 6PM in the summer months in the designated bathing area. Had my dog off the leash outside the bathing area, she had a great time. Out for the count now

Truthvader

If they're not they shpuld be. Sick to death of weirdo dog owners letting their dogs **** all over the place and frighten children etc. Plus all the mental justification "He only bites if you run/ he's only playing etc etc Kill em all

<Permabanned> As per charter, suggestions of harming pets do not go down well here.

Sleeper12

Totally banned from Dollymout beach /Bull Wall at the moment. I think that during the lock down birds nested on the beach or something like that.

ronivek

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Totally banned from Dollymount beach /Bull Wall at the moment. I think that during the lock down birds nested on the beach or something like that.

I'm fairly sure that isn't true. There was talk about them wanting to ban dogs from parts of Bull Island and Dollymount but I don't believe anything has been decided yet.

You must always have your dog leashed on Bull Island though; but Dollymount Strand would be covered by Dublin City Council's Dog Bye Laws and allows unleashed dogs at certain times of the day.

Sleeper12

ronivek wrote:

I'm fairly sure that isn't true. There was talk about them wanting to ban dogs from parts of Bull Island and Dollymount but I don't believe anything has been decided yet.

Definitely banned temporarily. I'm a member of a local Facebook group and the head of St Anne's Park (Park supervisor) posts DCC updates into the group.

They have been talking about it for years because dogs have been blamed on wiping out the wild Hare population and there have been incidents involving dogs and the local seal population but this is just a temporary ban

scilover

I don't think it applies to every beach right? Perhaps you just need your dog on a leash at all times.

ronivek

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Definitely banned temporarily. I'm a member of a local Facebook group and the head of St Anne's Park (Park supervisor) posts DCC updates into the group.

They have been talking about it for years because dogs have been blamed on wiping out the wild Hare population and there have been incidents involving dogs and the local seal population but this is just a temporary ban

Well my understanding would be that DCC would have to post publicly two months in advance of any new bye-laws being enacted or existing bye-laws being changed; and I don't see anything on the site.

Does the Facebook group provide any information on the mechanism they're using to enforce the ban?

Febreeze

There hasn't been anything online stating that dogs have been banned but general rule is, use your head and leave your dog on a lead if there's a couple of people around. I wouldn't say it's something to get into trouble over but you will have the odd eye rollers who think they own the beach (or Park) and think dogs should just be sat in the house all the time.

I've a dog and she's 3 and just hyper. Non stop. She's well trained, just a hyper dog and also loveable. When I bring her on a walk, it's usually early enough that the local park is empty enough that I let her run free, chase the birds (doesn't attack them, I think she likes the thrill of running after them and then running away when they fly off) As soon as I seen someone entering the park, regardless if they have a dog with them, back onto the lead she goes. She knows this herself as she's often ran back over to me or just stays where she is she waits until I go over to her. She wouldn't go after a dog, but it's the eye rollers and the "you should leave your dog on a lead" comments that I would rather avoid. She also loves the beach but around this time and lockdown etc, especially knowing its busy at random times, I avoid bringing her down. It's not worth the hassel.

Sleeper12

ronivek wrote: »

Well my understanding would be that DCC would have to post publicly two months in advance of any new bye-laws being enacted or existing bye-laws being changed; and I don't see anything on the site.

Does the Facebook group provide any information on the mechanism they're using to enforce the ban?

No they just post links to their website or to official announcements. As for notice of bylaws, they closed the beaches without notice during the lockdown, banning not just dogs but humans too without giving any notice.