Willard Beach in the Summertime

Willard Beach is a city park, a public space. One thing this means is that anyone can go there. And during the hours when dogs can be taken to Willard Beach off-leash, any dog can be taken there and set loose. Of course, beaches are open spaces. Dogs love to run on beaches, and they love to chase each other. Many of the dog owners encourage this canine fun, and Willard Beach often becomes a dog run. At high tide, it is a very small and narrow dog run.

With the neighborhoods that are near Willard Beach, and the many different kinds of dog owners who go there, a person enjoying the beach may encounter a considerate neighbor with a well-behaved dog. On the other hand, it is a public space, and a dog owner may have no concern for others, and that owner’s dog may run out of control. Compounding the problem, there are times when the beach is popular, and large numbers of running dogs make the beach obnoxious and dangerous for ordinary beach goers.

As a consequence of the behavior of off-leash dogs at Willard Beach, most residents are not able to use the city park during off-leash hours. It is a particular problem under the current city ordinances during the summertime, when Willard Beach is especially busy. The beach presents a sad spectacle when off-leash dogs force people off of the beach.

The problem is largely eliminated when dogs are kept on leashes and under control of the owners. It is then that everyone can be at the beach together and have a pleasant time at the seashore.