The residents of South Portland have enjoyed off-leash access to public spaces with their dogs for many years. This access includes a close-knit community of people who choose to recreate safely with their dogs under voice control.

Due to complaints from individuals who live in the vicinity of Willard Beach and other residents who have had negative encounters with irresponsible dog owners, we now face a possible vote that could eliminate our access to parks throughout the city. The City Council has brought up several options including: a city-wide leash law, leashes only at Bug Light Park and Spring Point, and banning dogs year-round or all summer on Willard Beach. All of these changes include a very strict micromanagement of behavior that is unnecessary for people who are in control of their dogs.

The South Portland Dog Owners Group (SoPoDOG) needs your help. We are working on a membership drive with membership dues ($5 per year per household) to help defray the costs of what we will need to do to prevent the loss of our access. People from other towns are welcome to join us.

SoPoDOG is not just a group of “dog people” as some say with disdain. We are your neighbors, friends, family members, taxpayers and registered voters. We choose to have domestic dogs as part of our family and we want to be able to continue to safely recreate with our dogs. In order to do this we need your membership.

Please go to www.sopodog.com and download a membership form. With your help we can continue to enjoy recreational facilities equally.

Crystal Goodrich

President, South Portland Dog Owners Group