Committee: Make Cape May More Dog-friendly

CAPE MAY – Cape May City Council heard from its Pet Advisory Committee Aug. 6. It urged greater flexibility for canines at the dog park, on the beaches, and at Washington Street Mall. 
The committee’s report contained three dog-friendly recommendations that would, if enacted, give dogs greater freedom of movement. 
It would also, the argument went, make the city more attractive to dog owners who travel with pets.
The first recommendation had to do with access to the dog park on Lafayette Street. The committee recommended a more expansive set of options for park passes.
Dog owners have a choice of a season pass for $20 or a weekly pass for $10. The funds generally amount to less than $1,000 a year with the money going to defray maintenance costs for things like weed control, mulch, and pick-up bags.
Committee Chair Linda Steenrod said the committee’s recommendation is to institute some form of daily pass for visiting dog owners for a day or two.
In effect, the committee wants the pass system for the park to resemble the beach-tag system.
The discussion quickly moved to making the park free. Mayor Clarence Lear suggested a test period to see if a free park produced unintended problems.
A free park simplifies the administrative burden, but it removes the one point where the city can check a dog’s vaccination record, a process that accompanies the purchase of a pass.
A second recommendation reiterated one made in last year’s report. The committee believes dogs should be allowed on the beaches before 8 a.m. The report argues this is a time of day that does not interfere with beachgoers and allows pet owners to have their dog on the beach at a cooler time of the day.
Council member Shaine Meier recommended the committee also look into the issue of walking dogs on the Promenade after 8 p.m.
The third recommendation was to allow dogs on the Washington Street Mall at all times. Current regulations allow service dogs on the mall.
The strongest argument for allowing dogs on the mall was that they are already there. Steenrod said current regulations are so difficult to enforce that many dogs can be seen on the mall at any point, encouraging others to bring their pet.
When the owners of some dogs are asked to remove their pet from the mall while they still see other dogs there, charges of unfair enforcement are common.
Steenrod avoided the agreements involved with service and companion dogs. “It has been talked about too much,” she said. The committee’s recommendation would simplify the issue by opening the mall to dogs.
“Dog owners act responsibly,” she said. “There is a greater problem with someone running up to a dog than the dog running up to a person,” she added.
“If you are not going to allow dogs on the mall, the city must improve the signage,” Steenrod said. She pointed to many areas of entrance to the mall where the signage is absent or unclear.
“This is an emotional issue” for many dog owners, Steenrod said. She argued that many municipalities allow dogs in business districts without incident.
No action was taken.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.