Sat, 09/26/2009 - 4:26pm - Posted by: Tim Flanagan

SHTruthbetold you're a fraud!
Stone Harbor's dog beach "experiment" is very sucessful....just look at the dog owners and dogs that participate. My wife and I come regularly to the "doggie beach," with our dog who has all her shots, is liscensed, has no flees,ticks or other germs! All the othr dog people we've met have their dogs l liiscensed,as well.We also keep our dog on a leash!

From reading your posted comments, hiding behind your computer, I suspect that you are one of those "beach street "property owners who think the beach is an extension of your back yard! Well I've got some news for you....it's not!The beaches belong to everyone in the US.
There's no doubt, that you are one of those individuals, that have a hidden agenda....
\Are you that person that called the police everyday to complain about a "specious"issue son the dog beach.? Or are you that person, that searches the beach everyday, with your electronic finder, sifting sand , looking for other people lost items, chain ,keys,etc.? Dogs on the beech may disturb the "tresures'?
The dog beach families are law abiding and responsible individuals, who bring their dogs for excersie and activity. It doesn't cost the "good folks' of Stone Harbor (even you)anything.
Resonsible dog owners, handle their animals with care and concern; and there is no danger to walkers, strollers,or anyonelse that may also be enjoing the beach at that time of the morning.

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 12:11pm - Posted by: SHTruthbetold

The decision to continue to allow dogs on select SH beaches will be decided by our Council. They will be guided by EPA, DEP, Fish and Wildlife opinions and what other New Jersey towns have decided and why. They will be guided by the results of their experiment how the ordnance was followed and what is in the best interest of public safety.
Continuing with uncouth attacks, accusations and straying from facts, frankly will not be the basis for Councils decision.
Accordingly, I will not be responding to further comments on this article.

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 8:50am - Posted by: Frank Dallahan

SHTruthbetold...

There are many examples in history of people breaking laws and rules when they believe the laws or rules are wrong. Having a petition prepared and doing the leg work to get 454 signatures in support of the petition's position is a significant positive endorsement in our view.

There is no disrespect for people who do not own or do not like dogs. There is only a desire to allow dogs more freedom on the beach for 2 to 4 hours a day when there are very few if any bathers and only a few walkers.

As for the claim of allergy sufferers being affected by dogs off the leash, I think the point is a bit far fetched. As for those who fear dogs, there are 40 beach blocks to the south where a fearful person can walk and enjoy the beach up to 9am.

In our experience and observation, the dog owners who frequent the Dog Beach bring materials with them to clean up after their animals and do so out of respect for the beach, beach goers and their own sense of responsibility.

As to the question of being licensed, are you suggesting a police officer be stationed at the beach to check on compliance with the rule or laws to have licenses and shots? As for dogs being flea and tick free, aren't you stretching an argument a bit far? Ticks and fleas are found free in nature. Are we to consider a leash law for them as well? :0)

As for enforcing the law, our position is to change the law if you believe it is inappropriate. That's why my wife and I along with others wrote the petition and had 454 people sign it. By the way many of these signers were early morning beach walkers.

Whether 454 signatures is statistically significant is not the material point. What is material is the point that in a short period of time we demonstrated there is a significant and reasonable other side to the inaccurate letter expressing a different point of view at Council Meeting earlier. Most significant, however, is the fact that Stone Harbor is in the hospitality business and increasingly people do travel with their pets and want to rent and patronize hotels, motels, and communities that are pet friendly.

I am glad we agree on one thing, the waste of police resources on this matter.

Thu, 09/24/2009 - 5:36am - Posted by: pumkinbut

LOL SHTRUTHBETOLD asked if the dog was free of fleas before going to the beach! hmm Did you ever hear of sand fleas? Also, people carry more disease than dogs! Maybe we should close all the beaches for good because whenever I go people are breaking all kinds of rules. They litter, sneeze, they have lice, & I am not sure if their kids have their shots.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 11:07pm - Posted by: SHTruthbetold

Wow, let's see , an animal hater, Michael Vick fan, extremely unhappy person, intolerant, can't be entertained, can't smile, whiny, should be on pills, and can't enjoy life. Did I miss anything SH-resident?
You are unbelievable and you think too much. I'm ashamed that you have admitted to being a SH resident. You certainly do not do justice to your parents.

By the way I have had well behaved loving dogs all my life.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 9:26pm - Posted by: SH_resident

I think the dog-friendly ordinence should not only be extented, but should allow the dogs to be off their leashes in the presense of their owners. While I do not own a dog, I have visited the "doggie beach" in the early am hours whiile the dogs & their owners are there. It is so joyful! And the owners are extremely responsible!

SHTruthbetold, I think that either you are an animal hater (are you a fan of Michael Vick?) or you are an extremely unhappy and intolerant person. I can't understand someone who isn't entertained/can't smile at the sight of friendly pets frolicking in the water. The dogs are all very well behaved, and the owners all police their dogs & the neighboring dogs. It's a great community!

Pets are typically an important members of many people's family, and I have many friends who curtail their travel if they can't secure dog-friendly scenarios. I think the "doggie beach" is an excellent start to attract/encourage more tourism from families who don't wish to leave the family dog behind when they vacation. Or do you also think that young noisy children should be banned from the beach next?

And SHTruthbetold, you have the option to not go to this small, 3-block section of beach during the two morning and two evening ours that dogs are there....the joy of many dog owners, dog lovers, SH residents and SH visitors should not be curtailed because of one or two whiney people in the minority! Take a Happy Pill, SHTruthbetold, and enjoy life!

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 9:07am - Posted by: SHTruthbetold

FD let's discuss your comments as they appeared. There are over 20,000 people in town during the summer months, as told to us by our administration. 454 people that signed a petition to allow creeping non- compliance to the ordance is a very small percentage on the whole. Can you see the owners are law breakers which you refuse to recognise? Your total lack of respect for others that do not like dogs, are allergic to dogs and just plain scared of dogs shows a very biased view. The beach is not closed to people without dogs and is a shared beach.
There is an issue of public safety. You make the claim that the owners are cleaning up after their dogs, a startement you cannot prove. Were all of the dogs licensed? Did all of the dogs have their shots? Were all of the dogs tick and flea free, were the dogs free of other diseases?
All of the above are reasons to protect people by keeping dogs on a leash. You may love your dogs but others may not, and do not care for an invasion of their space.
Lastly, it appears to me that you believe that you have the right to break the law when you don't like it, your opinion. It's interesting that in your opinion it's called badgering when people call the police and ask them to enforce the law. The dog owners are law breakers. It's just the same as a parking or traffic ticket, we may not like them but they are the law.
I do agree that we are wasting our police resources to enforce this ordinance. That is the very reason we just admit the experiment was a failure and go back to the old ordnance. As I said before, you had your chance and you blew it.

Wed, 09/23/2009 - 6:36am - Posted by: Frank Dallahan

Perspective is a valuable thing to have in thoughtfully considering this matter. There were 454 owners and visitors who loved the idea of the dog beach and in fact signed on to having the Borough change the regulations to allow dogs off the leash.

Stone Harbor is in the business of attracting visitors and the fact is that increasingly people travel with their pets. Hotels, motels, and vacation communities provide services that their clients want. Stone Harbor is no different.

Rules that make no sense are changed regularly. There is no issue of public safety. There is no issue of dog owners failing to clean up after their animals on the beach between 80th and 83rd.

The only issue seems to be a lack of perspective on the part of those who exaggerate claims of dogs and owners misbehaving. Those who call the police on a daily basis to enforce the leash requirement on the beach are truly over the top - in my opinion.

Badgering the police and dog owners over this matter is a waste of time and money.

Tue, 09/22/2009 - 7:38pm - Posted by: SHTruthbetold

No complaints, just the truth. When you allow people the opportunity to prove that they are capable of living within the rules and they can't, then all suffer. This group just proved that they can't follow the rules. Not surprising. Guess walkers, joggers and beach people have to stay away from a beach that they have more right to be on than the dog people; don't think so. No leash, violation, experiment failed. All over.

Tue, 09/22/2009 - 2:39pm - Posted by: RPL775

SHTruthbetold, I absolutely love people like you - always complaining about something, especially if it involves other people having fun. I don't have a dog, but I did sign the petition because all of the dog owners seem to really enjoy it and clean up after themselves. And here's a tip: if you don't like dogs, don't go to 83rd St beach before 9am in the summer. Pretty simple, right?

Tue, 09/22/2009 - 1:33pm - Posted by: SHTruthbetold

The dog beach experiment has failed. Seems the dog people couldn't follow the rules and most left their dogs off of their leashes, if they even had one. Rules are made to be followed for good reasons. The pictures they presented don't lie. Many of the dogs were running free. The experiment shows that the dog people can't follow the rules and our police can't enforce them. Done over. You had your chance and you blew it. Very bad idea to begin with and you just showed your true colors.