Many dogs seem to enjoy digging sand and swimming in the sea, and most beaches in Swansea and Carmarthenshire cater for them throughout the year while others are restricted in the summer. Beaches have been particularly busy this summer, and councils said they have been been patrolling them and offering advice to dog owners contravening the rules on restricted beaches.
Swansea Council said it had also issued 14 fixed penalty notices since May to owners who have ignored the restrictions, including three at Port Eynon beach on August 10. The restrictions in Swansea apply from May 1 to September 30 at Swansea beach from the River Tawe to the former slip bridge opposite Victoria Park and from Sketty Lane to the of the slip at the West Cross Inn.
They also apply to Bracelet Bay, Limeslade Bay, Rotherslade Bay, Langland Bay, Caswell Bay, and Port Eynon beach from the eastern edge of the steps to the eastern edge of the access to Horton beach. Guide dogs are exempt. You can read more stories about Swansea here.
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A council spokesman said: "In terms of enforcement, our aim has always been to work with pet owners to encourage them to clean up after their pets and also be mindful of the restrictions. The benefits of the by-law have always been to ensure families and children that are nervous around animals can feel safe when they are at the beach. It also helps us to minimise the impact of dog fouling on beaches, which sadly, occurs each year."
The relevant by-law was brought in 20 years ago. There are 15 beaches where dogs are free to roam all year, including Three Cliffs Bay, Pwll Du and Rhossili. Meanwhile, dogs must be kept on leads on the entire Swansea promenade, the proms at Langland and adjacent Rotherslade and the prom at Caswell Bay.
In Carmarthenshire there are May 1 to September 30 restrictions at Cefn Sidan and Llansteffan beaches. The council said they were in place to prevent the public from coming into contact with parasites contained in dog faeces which can infect humans. Dogs must be kept on leads at all times on Llansteffan Green.
The council said breaches of its dog restriction by-law were dealt with by a summary report to courts and not fines. But the seasonal by-law does not form part of the council’s public spaces protection orders, which allows officers to issue offenders with a fixed penalty notice.
Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, cabinet member for climate change, decarbonisation and sustainability, said: "Whilst the vast majority of dog owners are responsible, these restrictions are in place for public safety, with regards to coming into contact with toxocara in the faeces, and to provide visitors with a choice. Our enforcement officers patrol theses areas on a regular basis, in particular on weekends.
"We often find that those dog owners that breach the by-law are visitors to our county and are unaware of the restrictions in place. In these instances, our enforcement officers will offer words of advice and ask them to go to the non-restricted areas of the beach.”
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