Douglas Howell, M.D., provides a helpful update based on his research and his attendance at a veterinarian conference. Dr.  Howell is a distinguished gastroenterologist and it was forthcoming of him to disclose in his letter that he lives near Willard Beach and feels a “nice sense of community” with people who walk their dogs on Willard Beach.  

But there is more to the story than he reports. The U.S. Center for Disease Controls has a Web site called “Diseases from Dogs” that states “Dogs can carry a variety of germs that can make people sick. Some of these germs are common and some are rare. For example, puppies may pass the bacterium Campylobacter in their feces (stool).” It warns that “some people are more likely than others to get diseases from dogs…. People who are more likely to get diseases from dogs include infants, children younger than 5 years old, organ transplant patients, people with HIV/AIDS, and people being treated for cancer.” (From www.cdc.gov/healthypets/animals/dogs.htm)

The CDC Division of Parasitic Diseases warns that “The growing popularity of dogs and cats in the United States, together with high rates of ascarid and hookworm infections, has resulted in widespread contamination of the soil with infective eggs and larvae….Children’s play habits and their attraction to pets put them at higher risk for infection than adults.”  (From www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/ascaris/prevention.htm).

Willard Beach was once just a neighborhood place to walk your dog. Back then, the number of dogs and the volume of dog waste wasn’t an issue. The current problem is that Willard Beach has become a regional dog park, and a lot of dog waste is deposited on the beach every day. Children play in that sand and are exposed to whatever is left behind. The argument that there is no health risk to all that dog waste from all those dogs just doesn’t pass the smell test.

There may be a legitimate dispute about just how severe the health risk is from all those dogs defecating on Willard Beach. I think we should err on the side of protecting our children.

The problem of dogs at Willard Beach has been tying up the city’s attention and resources for way too long. We need to resolve this – one way or the other – and move on to the many more important issues we face. A vote by referendum can accomplish this.

Dave Canarie

South Portland