Hudson restricts dog walking at Sandy Beach
Hudson town council has voted to restrict dog access to Sandy Beach for the clement months. The bylaw, which came into effect Aug. 7, prohibits dogs on the beach from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, from May 1 to Oct. 1.
Dogs are required to be on a leash at all times, whether it be at Sandy Beach or on municipal trails.
Dog owners say keeping a dog on its leash when it is in the water can be dangerous for the animal. Hudson Mayor Jamie Nicholls told a reporter that swimming is not permitted at Sandy Beach, for either humans or pets.
He said the town has two offleash trails and one off-leash park for dog owners to use.
The restriction replaces a temporary, complete ban which was put into place in July following an incident where Hudson resident Greg Baumeister was bitten by a dog on the beach.
Baumeister told a Montreal Gazette reporter in the July that there were dozens of dogs on the beach that day and some of them were not on leashes. He said he would heal, although the bite on his arm was deep, but that if the attack happened to a child, the outcome could have been much worse.
Owners love their dogs and swear by their good behaviour, but not everybody is comfortable in their presence.
The temporary ban and the consequent adoption of the restriction have polarized the community and there has been a fair amount of online grumbling from both sides.
“Families have voiced their concern to me that there were too many dogs on the beach,” Nicholls said. “I see this bylaw as a balanced response to the situation.”