As a Beach Naturalist and dog lover, it distressed me to read your Sept. 17 editorial complaining about the city Ordinance which bans dogs on Seattle beaches. We cannot continue outdated practices and traditions and expect to have anything left for the future. There are too many of us.
Many people do not realize, or choose to ignore the fact that all Seattle beaches are designated as either protected marine sanctuaries, or as parks with regulations prohibiting damage or collecting on city property.
No matter how well-mannered, unleashed dogs in city parks and on beaches can be a hazard to small children and others who want to enjoy a local beach without noise and harassment, and pose a danger to leashed pets and their owners who feel threatened by them.
Unleashed dogs chase birds, dig up and destroy animals and habitat, pack off shells and driftwood, and defecate on fragile beach life. Fecal contaminants, including those from the uplands, eventually wash into the Sound. It's my observation that most owners with unleashed dogs do not clean up after them, and many pay only minimal attention to what the dog is doing--especially on the beach.
We need a more enlightened attitude toward protecting our shared parks and beaches from abuse, and the selfish wishes of a few folks who either don't understand the reasons behind the rules, or don't think they apply to them.
Nancy Lyn Rudolph
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