Three Reasons Dogs Are Not Allowed On Beaches

By Patricia Houser
For Nature’s Sake

Patricia Houser

Like many communities along Connecticut’s shoreline, Milford does not allow dogs on its beaches, influenced at least partly by state rules for protecting public health and wildlife. Most dog owners in our area follow the rules, say local officials. Still, even as most of us obey the large “no dogs allowed” signs at beach entryways as a matter of course, it can also help to know more about the reasons behind the rules.

In discussions of dogs and beaches in Connecticut and elsewhere, at least three themes stand out.

Wildlife and Ecosystem Disturbances

Milford’s picturesque shoreline is also a living landscape. To protect that quality, beach associations and governments work to create spaces that are kind to wildlife, plants and water quality (which is also healthy for humans). At a minimum they try to avoid factors that would be especially hostile to shorebirds looking, for instance, for a place to snack or rest on a long migration journey. The problem is that one of the most hostile factors on beaches for wildlife, including birds, is dogs.

It doesn’t matter if the dog is large or small, timid or gregarious. Whether shepherd or Shih Tzu, dogs are perceived by wildlife, according to research, as predators. Studies have shown that wildlife tends to move away from wherever a dog is passing, whether wooded area or beach. Animals in their natural habitat can become alarmed where a dog is present, say experts, and cease their routine activities, which can also lead to nesting failures, habitat abandonment and more. Dogs also leave a scent behind, which causes wildlife to continue to avoid the area and change behavior long after the dog has gone. An oft-cited 2016 review of dozens of scientific studies concluded, “It is clear that people with dogs – on leash or off – are much more detrimental to wildlife than people without dogs.”

Ken Ekins, director of the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center at Milford Point, described in a recent interview efforts at the Milford site to educate the public and monitor nesting areas of such threatened and endangered birds as piping plovers, least terns and oystercatchers. Their vigilance seems to have paid off in the case of plovers.

“Milford Point last summer was the most successful nesting site for piping plovers in the state of Connecticut,” he said.

When asked if he could give a specific example of dogs affecting birdlife, Elkins described an incident involving a single off-leash dog.

“Last year in early July, for a variety of reasons, our colony of least terns got up to around 300 adults,” he said. “So we were getting excited about this colony and then a few weeks later there was a dog on the weekend that was off leash and went through the string fencing area. This species is so sensitive to disturbance they all up and left. We had four babies fledge after having 300 adults here establishing nests.”

Finally, people may not know that encouraging a dog to have fun by chasing birds is not harmless. On their website, the American Kennel Club explains: “It may be slightly entertaining to watch your dog chase a flock of birds on the beach. But these encounters can cause a serious stress response in native animals…Migrating shorebirds will use unnecessary energy to avoid dogs. These birds could better use this energy for scavenging or traveling.”

Public Health

The problem of negligent or incomplete fecal waste removal on beaches where dogs are allowed creates an increased risk of zoonotic diseases. Organizations like the Centers for Disease Control verify the potential for organisms like hookworm, frequently present in dog waste, to infect humans. The website dogdiscoveries.com offers further details on how hookworm is transmitted and what symptoms it causes, in a 2023 article titled “This Parasite is one Reason Dogs Aren’t Allowed on Beaches.”

Both state and local ordinances reflect public health concerns about dogs on beaches and playgrounds. Connecticut state public health law related to swimming areas includes the rule that “Domestic animals shall be prohibited in the water and on the immediate shoreline associated with the water of a public swimming area.” Milford’s city ordinance #16-2 includes a prohibition against bringing dogs onto beaches and “any athletic facility” or “play area.”

Public Safety and Well-Being

Other explanations for limiting the presence of dogs on beaches include the varying comfort levels that people have around dogs, plus noise and other disruptions and the chance of even one negligent dog owner whose animal creates problems.

Daniel Worrell, Jr., chairman of Milford’s Park, Beach and Recreation Commission, emphasized that many of the decisions about public spaces he’s seen over the years have evolved to prioritize safety.

“Safety issues are always the major consideration,” he explained.

After all that, for those of us still planning a few beach walks where it is legal, usually in the off-season, and hopefully less impactful, the “Dogster” website offers a 2024 guide to top dog-friendly beaches in Connecticut.

Patricia Houser, PhD, AICP is a freelance writer and researcher focused on environment and sustainability.