Three visitors from Montreal’s South Shore had no idea they were breaking a new bylaw in Hudson, Que., by bringing their dogs to Sandy Beach around noon Tuesday.
Dogs are now officially banned from the beach at certain hours of the day.
For years, people in the area have been going to the beach with their pets. The spot had become an increasingly popular place for people to walk their dogs, and scores of dog owners — many from out of town — visited the beach daily, especially on weekends.
“My God, we were flooded with people,” says Allan Price, who’s been visiting the beach with his dogs for decades. “All kinds of people, like 50 dogs on the bloody beach!”
But the town says the beach drew so many visitors and their dogs that, at one point, some people didn’t enjoy it as much anymore while others just stopped going altogether.
“There’s not a lot of room here,” explains Hudson town councillor Jim Duff. “A lot of people stopped coming simply because they felt threatened by the fact that there were all these dogs off leash playing in the water. Even though we have a leash law, nobody observed it.”
Then someone was bitten by a dog in July.
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That’s when the town implemented a temporary ban to make clear that the beach wasn’t for dogs. On Monday, the town council settled on a compromise.
“From May 1st to October 1st, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., we’re not allowing dogs on the beach,” explains Mayor Jamie Nicholls. “Before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m., dogs are welcome here.”
Town authorities say it’s fair to everyone who uses the beach, and some regulars say it’s about time.
“It makes sense in that they came to their senses and realized that we had to do something,” Price tells Global News. “Because there’s a lot of dog people who live in Hudson. They were turned off by all these outsiders coming in and they lost their beach.”
When the South Shore visitors Tuesday found out about the restriction, they were disappointed but understood and left. Now, locals are hoping that visitors and residents respect the new restrictions so that everyone can enjoy the peace and quiet.
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