MINISTERS are to discuss whether rules requiring owners to keep their dogs on a lead on the beach during certain times of day in the summer should be relaxed.
A petition, by Jen Salisbury, calling for “dedicated dog-friendly beaches” in summer has garnered more than 1,100 signatures.
Deputy Moz Scott, an Assistant Economic Development Minister, shared her views on the petition in a recent post on the Jersey Dog Forum Facebook page, saying she was “advocating” at a ministerial level for current restrictions to be reviewed.
Admitting there was no funding for a large-scale review or consultation, Deputy Scott argued there was still a “case for adjusting the restrictions slightly”, whether through a proposition or a ministerial decision.
Discussions at government level “gives these views a chance to be challenged by the Health Minister and Children’s Minister”.
Changes to the rules, she said, could include aligning the off-lead times with school holidays and bank holidays, or lifting them from some beaches or sections of beaches that are less popular for families and tourists.
She continued: “Ideally, we would have had a review or consultation, but that is expensive and government resources are challenged at the moment.”
She stressed that any review or change was subject to resourcing, and the Budget for 2025 remains a priority for all ministers and assistant ministers.
Deputy Scott added: “One of the reasons I want to initiate the discussion is because we need to understand who is actually inconvenienced, in terms of dog owners who have to work around these restrictions.
“I know it can be a bit of a pain – for example, it’s aggravating if it’s raining and no one is on the beach, but who is actually struggling with these times? Is it shift workers?
“I do agree that it’s important to have something that’s clear and that does work for as many people as it can.
“This is something that is controversial, but also something that the government does not need to get too distracted with when there are larger fish to fry.
“The petition has difficulties because of its suggestion, but whether there is a case for adjusting the restrictions a bit so that they reflect the use of the beaches now, that will be discussed.”
