By Suzanne Hodgson
Staff Writer

Anne Houser enjoys walking on Willard Beach so much she named her 13-week-old puppy Willard, after the beach.  Last Saturday afternoon, she carried a rolled up leash and cleanup bag as she exercised her dogs and spent time in the sun.
Houser joined three friends for an afternoon walk on Willard with their four dogs. Two of the dogs were on leashes because the owners say they know they can’t trust them to run free and they don’t want to tarnish the beach’s dog-friendly reputation.
The debate over how much time dogs should spend on the beach now rests in the hands of voters.  On Nov. 3, South Portland will decide whether dogs should be on leashes Oct. 16 through April 14 and whether dogs should be allowed on the beach at all from April 15 to Oct. 15.
Nina Fuller from Hollis visits the beach almost every weekend, and supports time for dogs and their owners on the beach.
“I want to be a responsible dog owner. I don’t want to be a jerk,” said Fuller. “Look how happy he is,” said Fuller as she threw a ball into the water for her dog, Beso.
Fuller says she tries to handle her dog before he becomes a problem to others on the beach.
“ I always ask people if it’s all right – ‘Are you all right if my dog gets close?’ If they are uncomfortable, I’ll put him on a leash until we pass,” she says.

Opposition to dogs on Willard Beach is led by Gary Crosby of Save Willard Beach, the group that in July brought the council 1,000 signatures to support the referendum question.
Crosby, a dog owner himself, says the committee’s main concerns are potential health and safety hazards associated with dogs on Willard.
Crosby says he has spoken to a number of people who have been on the beach and were attacked by dogs, including a woman who was bit on the back of the head and an elderly woman who was knocked down by a dog.
Crosby also is concerned about the city’s liability.
“If we as a city condone dogs on the beach, we’re in the liability chain.  I’ll tell you, if I’m down there with my grandchildren and a dog bites them, I’m going after everyone.”

Members of Share Willard Beach, a political action committee formed in opposition to Save Willard Beach, have been going door to door in South Portland to talk to residents about the importance of sharing the beach with their canines.  They’ve blanketed the city with more than 500 signs on public property and the yards of its supporters.
Share spokesman Tom Ayers addressed some of the problems presented by Save Willard Beach.  Once a month, Share and its umbrella organization, South Portland Dog Owners Group, holds a beach cleanup.  Ayers says they have found lots to clean, not only dog debris.
 “We have far more of a problem with human debris than there is with piles of dog poop,” said Ayers.
Crosby is not satisfied with the cleanup efforts and wants a safe, clean beach for his family and others in South Portland.
“There are many other places where you can run a dog. We’re asking for a very small piece of land [where] dogs will be banned for six months out of the year, where we don’t have to worry about rolling in dog crap,” said Crosby.
Ayers disagrees with those complaints and says a medical professional has already disputed Crosby’s claims.
During a July meeting for the Willard Beach Task Force, Dr. Doug Howell, a gastroenterologist who served on the committee, said that it would be very rare for diseases to pass from dog to human, that dog droppings could help humans develop immunity and the sand’s natural cleaning process removes all waste materials.

The South Portland Police Department logged 33 complaints about dogs on the beach from January through mid-August. One citation was issued for dogs on the beach in the summer months during hours dogs aren’t allowed, and one report was taken for a complaint of a dog running loose without an owner.
The remaining complaints were considered “unfounded” – police found nothing when they investigated.
In 2008, the  police department received 652 complaints about dogs, 97 of which were at Willard Beach.
 “Everybody says, ‘My dog is friendly,’ ” said Crosby. “Who of us knows about that.  I would not presume that my dog is going to be great with anybody else’s kids.  You never know what will set an animal off; we don’t want to allow that on public property.”

Crosby and Ayers both say that whatever happens, they will be satisfied.
 “I like to believe it’s not going to pass, I’m feeling cautiously optimistic.  Most thoughtful voters understand our message, public access for all,” said Ayers.
“Win or lose I will support it whole heartedly,” said Crosby, “I’d like to win, but I will support it.  Our ability to take it to the referendum is awesome.  This is our system at work and I will support it.  If I got whooped I’m OK.  I’ll get a pass at Crescent Beach.”
Houser, who named her dog after the beach, says in the end the fight is about the kind of dog-loving community Willard Square in South Portland has become, where Scratch Bakery serves dog biscuits and dogs are walked all day.
“Some people I don’t know their names, but I know the names of their dogs,” said Houser.  “There’s an 84-year-old woman who every day walks with her dog.  The day she can’t come down here and get company is a very sad day.”

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson may be reached at 282-4337, ext. 23 or news@inthsentry.com.