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Kurt

Admin
Staff member
Oct 15, 2004
2,233
4,925
SoWal
mooncreek.com
The original dog ordinance was highly contentious - like it or not it was a sign of progress and growth. More people, more dogs, more problems. In effect, it was a "problem dog" law. It gave the WCSO a way to deal with mean dogs.

More dogs = More problems = More tourists?
 

Jdarg

SoWal Expert
Feb 15, 2005
18,068
1,973
Great. I can't let my daughter ride her bike in my neighborhood because nobody leashes their dam* dogs. It looks like now I have to put up with even more dogs running loose on the beach.:bang: Nothing like sitting in your beach chair, and out of nowhere BAM there is a wet sandy dog rubbing up against you and shaking all over your stuff, and the dog's owner is completely oblivious or thinks Fido is so cute.
 

Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,648
1,773
I'm reading on here that people don't like that people break the rules, and let their dogs run on the beach. That seems to be confused with thinking that the only people who do this are tourists. I see plenty of dogs on the beach, and most belong to locals. The majority are not on a leash, or at least not held by the human with the dog. Yesterday, a sweet, wet, old local dog walked over to my clean dry towel with his leash held in his mouth (not held by the owner), and covered my towel in wet sand. No big deal really, because the dog was just trying to say hi to me. However, I would have more respect for other people if that were my dog. I like dogs more than I need a clean towel, but I'm not your average Joe, and somebody is likely to freak out on the dog owner.

Especially on the beach, but in all public areas, people should clean up the poop of their pets. There is little excuse for not doing so. However, forcing someone to buy a permit, will not make any pet owner more responsible. Doing so will not make them clean the poo, nor leash their dogs. Also, I think it is about stupid that we have allowed the government to con us into believing that we need a permit to walk our dog ANYWHERE. If all dog owners were following the basic rules of courtesy and picking up their dog's poo and keeping them on leash so that they don't disturb other beach goers, we wouldn't be concerned about whether or not they had a permit. It is not the permit with which we should be concerned -- It is the behavior of the dog owner that should concern us.

Regarding the BCC blindsiding us, I think you are right. There was even a County representative who posted on SoWal.com to announce that the dog permit and beach vehicle permit were solely about how one would show proof of ownership before obtaining a permit. At the BCC meeting, it was thrown in that at the urging of one person, dog permits should not be excluded to local residents only. The twist is that for the item on the agenda just prior to this one, it was stated by Grant B. that we needed to REDUCE the number of beach permits for vehicles. Limiting nor expanding of permits, dogs or vehicles, was never on the agenda to be discussed for public opinion.

Just remember, that if the dog owners who bring their dogs to the beach, follow the existing rules, all of the "dog problems" noted in the many posts above, wouldn't be an issue. Permits or no permits, behavior won't change. People are people.
 

Just Curious

Beach Fanatic
Apr 22, 2009
316
80
So I did some research, and the BCC approved the changes to the ordinance at the Sept. 8th meeting, but allowing visiting dogs to be eligible to receive permits was not part of them. It was an idea that was brought up, but was not included in the vote. I'm not sure the source of the news article, but according to what I found out today we all got worried about something that never happenned.
 

Kurt

Admin
Staff member
Oct 15, 2004
2,233
4,925
SoWal
mooncreek.com
So I did some research, and the BCC approved the changes to the ordinance at the Sept. 8th meeting, but allowing visiting dogs to be eligible to receive permits was not part of them. It was an idea that was brought up, but was not included in the vote. I'm not sure the source of the news article, but according to what I found out today we all got worried about something that never happenned.

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

?Visiting dogs,? properly permitted, will soon be welcome on ?The Beaches of South Walton,? and minor revisions to county code provisions regulating dogs on the beach have been approved. Following some discussion, consideration of proposed changes to the county ordinance regulating driving on the beach have been put off for a later date.

The approval and discussion took place at the Sept. 8 Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) regular meeting.

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.

Last month, when county commissioners voted to set a public hearing to consider the beach-related changes, County Commission Chair Sara Comander had asked staff to provide for consideration draft provisions that would make ?visiting dogs? eligible for permits to be taken on the beach in Walton County?.

Read the full story in the Sept. 17, 2009 edition of the Herald Breeze.
 

Just Curious

Beach Fanatic
Apr 22, 2009
316
80
yeah, I know where you got the information from, but It doesn't actually say that it was approved, and when I talked with the county today and read the ordinance it doesn't say anything about visiting dogs.
 

Kurt

Admin
Staff member
Oct 15, 2004
2,233
4,925
SoWal
mooncreek.com
yeah, I know where you got the information from, but It doesn't actually say that it was approved, and when I talked with the county today and read the ordinance it doesn't say anything about visiting dogs.

I appreciate you following up. Please post what you find out.

It does say "soon" so I suppose it is not quite final.

“Visiting dogs,” properly permitted, will soon be welcome on “The Beaches of South Walton,” and minor revisions to county code provisions regulating dogs on the beach have been approved.
 

Chip and Dale

Beach Lover
Jun 7, 2006
52
7
WaterColor

LOCAL 32550

Banned
Aug 13, 2009
11
3
dos without permits and leashes

All I can say now is that the sheriff should start enforcing the rules for dogs on the beach they just drive by once in a while and say nothing
I think they need to patrol the beach a little more especially in the evening when I see all kinds of dogs on the beach and most of them are without a leash they come at my dogs which are on a leash and permitted!!! If my dog hurts there's well sorry guess you need to put yours on a leash I have 2 Chows that are very loveable they are out on the beach everyday but I can't help when a dog not leashed comes running agressively towards them they need to defend themselves.
I wish the SHERIFF would do the job we pay them for !!!
 
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