Take Back Our Live Oak Beaches For Children and Birds- No Off Leash Hours

Dog owners who have for years taken over our Live Oak beaches by disregarding the leash law now want to bully county officials into legitimizing their disruptive behavior. Unleashed dogs, running, jumping, packing , barking, chasing birds, defecating, urinating, and fighting have made our beaches unsafe and unclean for children who cannot play freely in the midst of packs of dogs. Shorebirds are nonexistent on our beaches. It is difficult for seniors to stroll safely and for families to picnic or play frisbee or ball without being molested by unleashed dogs.The off leash hours proposed-before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.- are the most pleasant beach hours at Live Oak beaches. The sun's rays are less harmful, the wind goes down, and children are out of school and able to go to the beach. Off leash hours effectively close the beach to the general public and to wildlife for eight hours a day. Off leash hours are hard to enforce with limited funds. Keep dogs on leash and make the beaches pleasant, available, safe, and clean for everyone.