Letter: Let dogs stay at Singing Beach

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To the editor:

I just finished reading the article on the proposal to ban dogs from Singing Beach and had to comment.

Until moving recently, I would visit Singing Beach a few times a week during the winter with my dog, Bruce. The vast majority of days, the only people at the beach were other people with dogs. I always looked forward to visiting, because my dog had so much fun playing with the other dogs.

The other great part about visiting the beach was being outdoors and having other people to talk to in the middle of long winters, even on below-freezing and snowy days. Dogs are a great excuse to socialize and get some exercise.

To ban dogs from Singing Beach all winter long so that people who only want to visit on those few, scattered days of warm weather during the winter can have the beach to themselves is silly and selfish.

How often would these complaining people actually use the beach during the winter if there were no dogs allowed? People without children who visit the beach during the summer don't say kids should be banned because they are too noisy or play too rough. For many people, dogs are like kids to them.

Most who visit Singing Beach are responsible dog owners who clean up after and control their dogs, in accordance with the regulations already in place. Of course people should clean up after their dogs, but as for the health risks, how many children are actually running around in the sand barefoot in the middle of winter?

The rules already in place should be enforced, as they are in other communities. Are things that much worse this year compared to last year, when a bunch of new regulations were passed?

I hope that the people of Manchester will stand up for their right to enjoy Singing Beach with their dogs and not let a small group of vocal activists ruin it for people who enjoy the beach daily, all winter long.

EMILY SERINO

Boxford