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Kurt

Admin
Staff member
Oct 15, 2004
2,233
4,925
SoWal
mooncreek.com
The Walton County Commission has approved allowing properly permitted dogs from out of town to enjoy the beach.

The Defuniak Herald ? OFFICIALS TAKE UP BEACH DRIVING AND DOG PERMITS

Currently only dog owners who are either Walton County property owners or permanent, year-round residents are eligible to apply for a permit to take their canines on the beach during specific hours. No unpermitted dogs are officially allowed on nonprivate property along the beach, and the state parks in the county bar all dogs from their beachfront property.
 

Matt J

SWGB
May 9, 2007
24,646
9,496
Whew, I haven't encountered a treasure on the beach in some time.

Dog owners (and apparently horse owners, remember smoothing the beach kurt?) covering dog pooh with a sprinkle of sand does not make it vanish from the face of the earth, it simply makes it easier for the unknowing beach goer to step in. I realize it's gross to pick up, but guess what's worse than touching your dogs poop through a bag or glove? Stepping in someone else's dog's crap.
 

Yzarctoo

Beach Fanatic
Mar 6, 2009
282
103
Hate to sound so bitter...but many of our vistors to our beaches don't pick up their trash so really hate to think about their dog's poop. Nothing worse than to be sitting on the beach playing in the sand with your grand child and coming across a bunch of "stuff" lying a few inches under the sand.
 

SHELLY

SoWal Insider
Jun 13, 2005
5,770
802
Hate to sound so bitter...but many of our vistors to our beaches don't pick up their trash so really hate to think about their dog's poop. Nothing worse than to be sitting on the beach playing in the sand with your grand child and coming across a bunch of "stuff" lying a few inches under the sand.

...won't be long now--I'll be d?j? vu all over again.

What's coming down the pipe <pun intended> will make us look back longingly to the the days of the "overnight tent bazaars" and the "Big Blue Signs."
 
Actually, I don't think this will mean anything in reality as I am continuously astounded and disgusted by all the tourists who bring their dogs to the beach regardless of permits or laws anyhow. I personally have never seen it enforced. Sorry about the bitterness, but this is one of my pet peeves....(pet peeve...get it? doh! lol)
 
IMHO this is a bad idea. Prior to this policy change, there was already a problem because so many owners and residents don't leash their pets on the beach.

Many visitors don't seem to give a crap (double entendre intended) about our beautiful beaches in SoWal, as evidenced by the litter that many of them leave on the beaches when they check out. So my guess is they'll be less likely to clean up their pets' poop than residents/owners because so many of them just don't seem to care about the trash and damage that they leave behind. Sorry to offend those who do care, but I just know that every time we are at our beach home, I have to clean up a crap-ton of junk left on the beach by renters.
 
Maybe have a 'Pet Friendly' time and place on the beach, I know my dogs love the beach as much as anyone, and we allows pick-up after them ( and other dogs too, so the lazy dogs owners don't wreck it for the rest of us). I promise you if you if get a group of responsible dogs owners together and allow our dogs to have fun on the beach....we will leave the beach cleaner than ever.

PS I would rather give a donation to Wild Life Rescue, or Turtle Nest protection to get my dogs permits.
 

Old Blue

Beach Comber
Jul 9, 2005
7
12
How many of you brought your concerns to the Commissioners? ;-)
This is what was listed on the Agenda for September 8th county commission meeting:

" Consider an Ordinance amending County Ordinance 2008-24 and Section
5-34 of the Walton County Code to provide clarification of proof of
residency to obtain permits to allow dogs on the beach"

Now, how did the consideration go from what appeared to be more stringent current rules to allowing visitor's dogs on the beach? On the video of the Commissioner's 9/08 meeting, reference was made to the hard work of staffer, Gerry Demears, to put together a proposal. Thus far, I have yet to find that information posted anywhere or a heads up BEFORE the meeting that this was going to be part of the ordinance being considered. I think we were blindsided by the commission on this one. This was a privilege for the residents of Walton County. Now all the surrounding county residents can come to Walton County and walk their dogs on our beach, let them chase our toddlers while off leash, poop on our beach and run up and down our dunes while going back to their home county and enjoy "NO DOGS ALLOWED" beaches. Our commissioners let the residents of Walton County down on this one. Possibly from pressure from the TDC to appease more tourists? More likely we will be appeasing Destin and P.C. residents who do not want dog friendly beaches. BTW, I am a responsible dog owner & lover of dogs, but this tirade is a result of experience with a large % of arrogant, irresponsible dog owners who do not think the rules apply to them. Somehow I suspect that % just increased.
 
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