Dogs are an issue at many parks around Maine.

Most swimming beaches don’t permit them on summer days. South Portland’s Willard Beach doesn’t seem to want them. And Baxter State Park doesn’t allow our canine friends.

But around much of Portland this summer, the city’s going to the dogs.

That’s because the 20-year-old trail organization, Portland Trails, is running a contest around dogs, asking our pups to pick their favorite trail and tell us about it in a dog essay contest.

The goal, Portland Trails Executive Director Nan Cumming said, is nothing more than to celebrate Portland’s pup love.

“Our real mission is public access and getting people outside. We just figure folks will respond to something like this,” Cumming said. “And maybe if we get more responsible dog owners involved, maybe more folks who are less likely to pick up after their dog will. … But we never want to say we don’t want dogs on trails.”

Portland spokeswoman Nicole Clegg said that at city parks, dog issues that rangers have to tackle ebb and flow through the summer and include dogs running off leash and dog waste being left behind.

Not everyone is good with basic dog etiquette, and signs warning of fines can be found around Portland.

But Cumming said so many Portland Trail members and users enjoy the group’s 34 miles of maintained footpaths with their mutts that the organization wanted to celebrate both users: two-legged and four-legged alike.

The “Dog’s Favorite Trail” essay contest kicks off Portland Trails’ new dog membership program, which invites dogs to join for $5.

Contestants have until the end of August to enter and stand to win dog prizes as well as a free membership in Portland Trails.

Essays will be judged in two categories — funniest and most meaningful — and winners will be decided by local “celebrities,” Barney the Shipyard Seadog, Downeast Dog News and Togus, the WCSH Storm Center cat.

Portland Trails allows dogs on all its trails except the one owned by Maine Audubon because it’s a wildlife sanctuary, Cumming said.

Showing faith in good trail users and love of four-legged travelers, Portland Trails opened up the Fore River Sanctuary to dogs three years ago; before that it had been closed to pets. Trail users showed great care, Cumming said.

“It used to be no dogs (under former management), but we made signage that was very clear that it more or less was on a trial basis and if people were not responsible, we might have to take it away. So far so good,” she said.

Cumming noted that more dog owners still need to be educated and made aware of the unsanitary problem of dog waste. But by and large, she said Portlanders mind their dogs well.

“We didn’t really want to point this out, we just wanted to have a lot of fun,” Cumming said. “We know a lot of people are walking their dogs on the trails and we wanted to show off how great it is to walk on our trails.”

Staff Writer Deirdre Fleming can be contacted at 791-6452 or at dfleming@pressherald.com

Twitter: Flemingpph

 

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