The 24/7 ban on dogs from Willows beach for five full months is hardly a compromise.
I see no good reason why dogs could not be allowed in the morning, say before 9 a.m., when virtually zero people are at the beach. Dogs typically pee on the grass anyway, and the ocean water is frankly full of far more contaminants than a tiny bit of urine. The dog owners I have seen always pick up their poop. Frankly, there is zero health risk whatsoever. Furthermore, I don’t see why the restriction should extend beyond from Victoria Day to Labour Day. You don’t see many sunbathers in mid-May.
I do acknowledge that later in the day when lots of little ones are out, dogs need to be off the beach. But a compromise would be to allow dogs at a time when people are not using the beach, like the early morning.
Mike Dolphin
Oak Bay
