Hundreds of dogs and their owners gathered on a beach to protest against plans for a year-round ban on dogs. If the proposal is approved, dogs would be prohibited from the Cayley Promenade section of the beach in Rhos-on-Sea, Conwy. The area sits between two parts of the coastline where dogs are already banned — the harbour and Porth Eirias.
Councillor warns of unfair impact
Conwy councillor Jo Nuttall, who also represents Rhos-on-Sea as a town councillor, said introducing another dog-free zone would unfairly affect local dog owners. The council said in a consultation document that problems involving dogs were a "key concern" for communities.
Ms Nuttall said: "I'm not against a seasonal ban of sorts. If they did, let's have dogs before 10:00 and no dogs after 10:00. So long as it is policed. If it is not policed it won't work."
Consultation over dog control concerns
She said the council had launched the consultation over concerns about some dog owners failing to clean up after their pets or keep them under control. A dog control order was introduced by the authority in 2023 to address problems including fouling and dogs entering areas where they are prohibited.
The council is now considering extending the existing order, which expires in October, to cover additional areas where dogs would not be permitted, including Rhos-on-Sea.
Residents voice opposition
Local resident Diana Owen, who was at the beach with her dog Brock, said: "They need to really think about this. I can appreciate people do not always want to have dogs on the beach. But we pay our rates, we do live here. And being a lady on my own it's far safer on the beach."
Wendy Routledge argued that people, rather than dogs, were responsible for rubbish and mess on the beach. She suggested employing a beach warden instead of introducing a blanket ban. "Out of season especially, it's dog walkers who come and use the local businesses after their walks," she said.
Anne Goodhead said allowing dogs and their owners to use the beach was important for people's mental wellbeing. She said: "We need to be able to go on the beach. It's big enough for everybody."
A further dog-free zone is also being proposed at a sports ground in Betws-yn-Rhos. The consultation is due to close on 11 September.
