VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Six months after a dog beach pilot program was launched in Volusia County, dueling online petitions are showing the issue remains a divisive one.
In November, the county began an 18-month program to allow dogs on a roughly half-mile stretch of sand between Milsap Road and Rockefeller Drive in Ormond Beach.
On March 9, a petition was started by David Schecter to end the dog beach pilot program.
The petition stated owners aren’t following the rules by not cleaning up after their dogs, not obeying the boundary and not keeping their dogs on a leash.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the petition had gained 253 signatures.
Nanette Mckeel Petrella, who is the president of Daytona Dog Beach Inc., then launched a counter petition to call of the continuation of the program.
“One person just throwing innuendo and falsehoods, that’s not fair,” Petrella said. “He appears to have an issue where he feels law enforcement isn’t reacting properly to dogs outside of the dog beach area.”
Petrella’s group often volunteers at the dog beach and said they’ve noticed very few problems.
When an owner isn’t compliant, it’s typically because they’re unaware of the rules.
[PINIT! Share photos of your dog | SOUND OFF: Post your comment below]
“With anything new, education is paramount. You have to educate and you tell people over and over again,” Patrella said. “I’ve learned that over my career you can’t say things just once. You have to say it. You have to put it in writing. You have to reinforce it.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, the petition to keep the dog beach had gained 873 signatures.
Patella said she hopes the county continues the pilot through the 18-month period.
“We have done everything on our end to make that commitment and we think they need to stand behind this and see how it plays out,” Patella said.