Community and social media pressure has forced the States of Alderney to gauge residents’ feelings over the extent of restrictions preventing dogs from using beaches in the summer months.
Alderney’s General Services Committee has launched a survey to see if there’s support to reduce the restricted period for dogs on beaches and whether some beaches should be dog-friendly year round.
It comes after dozens of residents protested the strict summer laws, with dog owners recently bringing their canines for a walk on the causeway to Raz Island.
Dogs and horses are banned on all beaches in the island between 1 June and 15 September.
Around 50 people called for the hundreds of dogs in the island to have a dedicated beach for dogs, such as Longis Bay, in the early mornings and evenings.
That pressure led the GSC to prioritise reviewing the bylaws which restrict hundreds of dogs from enjoying the sands for around two-and-a-half months.
The Committee is seeking the views of both dog-owners and non-dog owners in its survey, which is open until 26 September.
Iain MacFarlane, Chair of the General Services Committee, said it was the right time to update and understand the views of the population.
“In recognition of the recent social media polls and discussion around this subject, we felt it was the right approach to conduct a survey to collect up to date information from the community. This will enable the Committee to make an informed decision on whether the current ban for dogs and horses during the summer months should be reviewed,” he said.
“The information we have on file was collected over a decade ago, and so this survey is a great opportunity to seek the public’s view on something which is evidently a topic of interest, so I would encourage everyone to respond to the survey.”
The survey asks if respondents agree with the current length of restrictions or if it should be shortened to 31 August.
It also asks if beaches should be opened up between 17:00 and 08:00 for dogs, and what concerns or benefits loosening restrictions would have.
Dog restrictions are in place to protect people using the beaches at the height of summer, and to prevent muck being left in busy areas.
You can access the survey HERE.