 Other Florida Off Leash Dog Beaches: o Jupiter Beach o Panama City Beach o Haulover Beach Park Miami (8am-3pm) o Walton Rocks Dog Beach-Jensen Beach o Vilano Beach-St Augustine o Stuart Beach, Atlantic Beach – leashed on beach/off leash in water o Key Biscayne Dog Beach o Boca Raton – Friday-Sunday; 7am-9am/3-sunset or 5-sunset (DST) o Venice – Brohard Paw Park o Islamorada – Anne’s Beach o Tierra Verde – Fort Desoto Park o Bonita Beach Dog Beach o Tampa – Davis Island Dog Beach, Dunedin Dog Beach, and Picnic Island Dog Beach o Sombrero Beach-Marathon – leashed, but not enforced so dogs are off leash o Cape San Blas – leashed, but not enforced so dogs are off leash

Other Cities around the Country:  Huntington Beach, CA – off leash, no time/day restrictions  Del Mar, CA – leashed during summer(June 16-Labor Day), no restrictions  Cape Cod, MA – off leash, no restrictions  Minnesota Point, MN – off leash, no restrictions  Lore City, OH – swim off leash, but on leash otherwise; no restrictions  Lake Michigan Beach, Glen Arbor, MI – off leash, no restrictions  Outer Banks, NC – off leash, times vary; Nags Head must be leashed  Montrose Dog Beach, Chicago – off leash; no restrictions; $5 tag  Block Island, Rhode Island – off leash  Edisto Island, SC – Leashed, no restrictions  Wildwood Dog Beach, NJ – leashed, but fenced in area that allows off leash  Bald Head Island, NC – off leash – except during turtle nesting May 1 – November 15; no restrictions  Cannon Beach, Oregon – off leash no restrictions

Proposal: Allow Dogs and owners on the beach in front of Lowdermilk Park for limited days and hours: Allow off leash on beach, but must be on leash until they reach beach Monday – Friday; Sunrise to 8:30am. Beach is almost empty at these times and dates – even during season. Dog Waste Bags already installed. Ample Parking, but will not interfere with daily beach traffic/beach goers Positive economic, social, and community impact Sunrise times: Jan 1 – 7:14am ; Nov 3 – 6:37am; Earliest= June 2 – 6:34am; Latest = March 10 – 7:41am Several Websites such as Bring Fido list the concerns of residents and visitors not allowing dogs on Naples Beaches. Dogs are allowed on Keewaydin Island and there has been much success. Humans and Dogs enjoy playing and socializing while visiting Keewaydin – without incident. However, you are limiting the people and dogs that can enjoy this opportunity by only allowing those that have access to a boat. There should be an area on Naples Beaches that would allow all dog owners to enjoy our natural resources – not only those that can afford a boat. The presence of dog owners and their dogs would be viewed by many people as welcome additions to the landscape. Academic studies these days indicate that the presence of dog owners and their dogs in public spaces is a socializing influence. That is, their presence increases the frequency of interactions among people. This opportunity for social interaction is particularly important for individuals who may be alone in the world such as senior citizens. “For a lot of single people, dogs are the most significant relationship in their life,” noted one dog owner in Naples, FL. As anyone who has ever owned dogs and walked them in parks and their neighborhood knows, they are a great way to meet new friends and neighbors. Moreover, the regular presence of dog owners and their dogs in parks is a deterrent to undesirable and even illegal activities. Some cities across the U.S. have recently created an on-leash dog walking program at a town park plagued by illegal activities (Town of Huntington, NY). Since the program was created, there have been no further serious incidents. The off-leash hours program in New York City parks has also been widely credited with helping make NYC parks safer. Far from turning people off from using New York State parks and beaches, the presence of dog owners and their dogs would be viewed by many people as welcome additions to the landscape. In fact, Naples city leaders should be doing everything in their power to encourage people to get out and walk with their dogs. This is consistent with the Blue Zones Project. While inadequate physical activity and obesity are well-known public health issues, there is considerable evidence that dog ownership is associated with higher levels of physical activity. Instead of closing off vast swaths of public land to dog owners and their dogs, city officials should work to improve public health by incenting people to get out and walk their dogs, for their own health and that of their dogs, by providing access to adequate recreational space. Again, dog owners represent a very large proportion of the population—49% of American households, according to the American Pet Products Association. It is time for the recreational needs of this large group of people to be balanced with other considerations. Pet-friendly beaches are becoming much easier to find. They're becoming increasingly common as coastal communities realize it's a win-win -- as long as the human half of the equation does their homework. That means training your dog to obey your voice commands, making sure her/his license and vaccinations are up to date, observing leash laws if applicable and, it should go without saying, scooping the poop. It seems as if dogs and the beach should go hand in hand: There’s so much to smell and roll around in and so much space for running, swimming and playing catch. (You could say the same of people.) And when it comes to precious beach time, it’s usually the people and their rules that take priority over what dogs and their loyal owners would prefer. That said, dog-friendly beach options seem to be on the rise. Many cities across the country are turning over blocks of beaches to dogs, or at least creating dog-friendly beach hours (please see list at the beginning of this document). More hotels, resorts, motels and vacation rentals are allowing beachgoers to bring their pets, too.

It makes financial sense, said Pete Byron, a city commissioner in Wildwood, N.J. There are 89.7 million dogs in American households, and billions of dollars are spent every year on them, according to the American Pet Products Association (American Pet Products.org – industry trends). So the demand is there. Wildwood, for example, opened a fenced-in dog park in 2014. It became so popular that officials decided to move it and expand its reach to the ocean by mid- July (Press of Atlantic City).

Laws, for the most part, still lean toward norms from the mid-20th century, and view dogs as property, not companions, said Kim Kavin, author of “The Dog Merchants: Inside the Big Business of Breeders, Pet Stores and Rescuers.”

“It’s history banging up against current culture,” Ms. Kavin said. “It’s law banging up against our feelings for our dogs today.”

But some laws are slowly changing. Many Florida beaches and those around the country are allowing for off leashed dogs to romp and swim at the beach. Many cities are getting ahead of the curve of residents petitioning and lobbying for legislation that would require their cities/counties to allow dogs on the beach.

Laws and regulations as to where dogs can and can’t go will keep changing, as will the desires of dog owners, and their willingness to fight for change. When you’re putting that much thought to bring something into your life for 10 to 15 years, you are going to care if you can take the dog to the beach.

Naples, FL is surrounded by miles of coastline, but none of that coastline is accessible to dog owners and their dogs. Lack of access to beaches by dog owners is one of the most frequent complaints we hear about Naples, especially from people who have moved here from other places around the country or are seasonal residents. Just check out some of the pet friendly travel websites such as Bring Fido. I am very interested in hearing the concerns of city leaders and residents in not allowing dogs on the beach and being able to address these concerns. I ask that city leaders update its policies so they meet the needs of this large and growing constituency – Naples families and residents who own dogs. Summary: I understand that providing dog owners and their dogs with access to a limited portion of the beach in Naples represents a change in long-standing policy. But, much has changed since the policy, which prohibits all access to Naples beaches by dog owners and their dogs, went into effect. The current policy is out-of-date and draconian by today’s standards. Lack of access to beaches is one of the loudest complaints I hear from Naples dog owners, especially those who have moved here from other parts of the country or are seasonal residents. It is difficult to provide a reasonable explanation as to why allowing people with dogs on beaches is a normal, expected activity in other populated, upscale areas of the country, but not in Naples. It’s time for the City of Naples to work with the dog owner community to update its policies so they do a better job of addressing the needs of this large and growing constituency. Such a change would be welcomed by many families. Thank you so much for your attention.

Objection Handler 1). In response to the concern that people would not pick up after their dogs and beaches would have to be closed, I am not aware of any beaches in the country where dogs are allowed that have been closed because of their presence. The majority of dog owners these days know cleaning up after their dogs is a basic responsibility and our experience with dog parks is peer pressure works to make sure the majority of people clean up. There are always irresponsible people in parks and it’s not fair to punish the majority of responsible park goers for the irresponsible behavior of a few. “It’s all about education,” said one official in New Smyrna Beach, FL which allows dogs on beaches. “Ninety-five percent of dog owners are responsible.” The majority of dog owners these days know that cleaning up after their dog is a basic responsibility. The extensive experience with dog parks and on-leash dog walking in public parks is that peer pressure works to ensure the majority of dog owners clean up after their pets – you can see this at the Naples Dog Park. Interviews with residents of Naples confirm that the presence of other dog owners and their desire to have the potential and possibly protect their access to beaches - would help keep beaches clean. Residents would not want to lose the privilege of being able to access the beach with their dogs. People would value this privilege and make sure it would be allowed for years to come. The likelihood that beaches would have to be closed because of the presence of dogs seems small compared to the other, more significant risks to beachfront swimming such as storm water runoff, aging sewage systems, and leaking septic tanks. Admittedly, there are people who are not responsible, whether they’re beach-goers or dog owners. The City of Naples does not close down beaches because some people litter, break bottles, fight, and vandalize public property. Similarly, the majority of responsible dog owners should not be denied access to beaches because a few people might fail to clean up. I would support stiff fines for people who break the rules whether it’s vandalizing public property or not picking up after their dogs. Dog owners will also work to ensure that the importance of cleaning up after one’s dog and educating those that bring their dogs to the beach are aware of the strict enforcement of these rules is communicated to dog owners. We can also work with the City to develop signage and flyers and we will use home owner’s association lists and social media to drive home that message. 2) The concern that some people are frightened by dogs and the potential for dog bites. Any off-leash access to beaches could be clearly marked so that people who did not want to come into contact with dogs could avoid those areas or visit the vast majority of beaches that do not allow dogs. While all dog bite incidents are traumatic, the likelihood of such incidents occurring in a public park or beach is extremely small. A New York City study in 2006 found that less than 3% of such incidents took place in a public park. Reviews of dog bite injuries from the US, Canada, and Australia have reported that a majority of dog bites occur in the home ( Sacks, J.J., Kresnow, M., & Houston, B. (1996). Dog bites: How big a problem? Injury Prevention, 2(1), 52-54.). While all dog bite incidents are traumatic, the risk of such an incident occurring in a public park or at the beach is extremely small. Our own Naples Dog Park can support this fact. Moreover, New York City found that the more access provided to dog owners and their dogs to off-leash and on-leash recreation over the last 20 years, the more these incidents have declined. It is now common knowledge among dog behaviorists, trainers and veterinarians that dogs that get adequate exercise and socialization are more well-adjusted canine members of the community. As far as people being frightened by dogs, I understand some people do not want to come into contact with dogs. Any on-leash or off-leash access to beaches should be clearly marked and defined. People who do not want to come into contact with dogs can avoid these areas or go to the vast majority of beaches in Naples that do not allow dogs. They could walk away from the shoreline and walk closer to the dunes as most dogs and owners will be close to the shoreline and only on certain days of the weeks and hours. Another option, allowing dogs in front of Lowdermilk Park would allow beach walkers to approach Lowdermilk park at one of the North/South park entrances on the beach and leave the beach; walk through the park, and re- enter the beach at the North/South entrance.

3). Dogs fighting and negatively interacting when they are not on leashes. This has not been an issue at the Naples Dog Park, conflicts among dogs are rare, including when dogs are allowed off-leash on beaches. Beaches and parks are neutral territory and it is more likely dogs will be looking for fun and exercise. If we authorize dogs to run freely on beaches, what about other pets? To date, I am not aware of any efforts to increase other pet access to public parkland, although I welcome diversity! Since the opening of the Naples Dog Park thousands of people and their dogs have enjoyed this facility – and there was much debate about having an off leash park in Naples. Look at the success.

4). Dogs disturbing Sea Turtle Nests and/or Shore Birds Many kinds of wildlife depend on Florida’s beaches for their survival, including endangered and threatened species. It is important for dog owners to have control of their dogs and keep them away from wildlife. Do not allow a dog to disturb or chase birds or dig holes, which could damage turtle nests or trap hatchlings. Make sure your dog stays out of the dunes to avoid disturbance of beach mouse habitat. Avoid walking your dog on the beach at night during the March-October sea turtle nesting season. This is why I propose morning access on the beach. Once again, it is only for limited days and hours. This will minimize any impact to wildlife. Owners much pick up pet waste and throw it in the trash. Dog owners can spread the word about being a wildlife-friendly dog owner on the beach! I support having boundaries around these nests and enforcing these rules. I fully support such protocols and enforcement and would underscore the importance of respecting these measures through our communications efforts. Other cities in Florida have successful off leash dog beaches that also have turtle nests and birds and they represent good examples of government authorities that have balanced the needs of wildlife with the recreational needs of local residents who own dogs. North Shore Park – Miami, FL - The city website specifies that dogs are allowed off leash only in this restricted area along the beach. In this exact Bark Beach location are a dozen or more sea turtle nests, each cordoned off with orange tape and posted with an English-only yellow sign: “Do Not Disturb Sea Turtle Nest, Violators Subject to Fines and Imprisonment.”

Sea turtle nests are posted: “Do Not Disturb, Violators Subject to Fines and Imprisonment.” The sign explains Florida law and penalties, as well as the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which carries hefty civil and criminal penalties. Miami Beach Parks and Recreation staff report there have been no known instances of dogs at Bark Beach disturbing the vulnerable sea turtle nests and that all nests are inspected on a daily basis.