Protesters in Galicia claim the right to take dogs to the beach at any time
The issue of taking dogs onto beaches in Spain is one which continues to be the cause of arguments, discussions and controversial legislation year after year, and while in some coastal regions the designation of certain “dog-friendly beaches” (usually a fair way off the beaten track) has served to take the heat out of the controversy to a certain extent, not everyone is happy with the situation.
(Click here for a list of dog-friendly beaches in the Region of Murcia)
Dog owners who are able to take their pets for early-morning seaside strolls on practically abandoned beaches for 10 months of the year are often upset when reprimanded for doing exactly the same thing in July and August, while on the other hand there are people who are genuinely so averse to canines that they cannot enjoy a beach if a dog is allowed loose within 100 metres. Both points of view are understandable, but there are people who take both to the extreme, and as a result there continue to be conflicts on a daily basis.
Among those favouring the dog owners’ point of view are the Animal Rights Party PACMA, who held a demonstration on the beach of Riazor in A Coruña (Galicia) on Sunday demanding full beach access rights for dogs at all times. The 50 or so people taking part in the event maintain that there is no scientific evidence that dogs represent a health threat to bathers, and as they made their way along the seafront they displayed placards with slogans such as “Las colillas no son suyas” (the cigarette butts are not theirs).
PACMA’s argument is that the acceptability of dogs on beaches depends not on the dogs but on the attitude of owners, and that as “members of the family” dogs should be allowed to visit the beach with other members of the household. For this reason they propose that the law banning dogs on all beaches except those officially designated be modified, and that fines should be applicable only in cases where the owner has failed to control his or her pet responsibly.
Image 1: PACMA
Image 2: Murcia Today
Source: Murcia Today
