Ruff sea: Guardamar plans dog-friendly beach

GUARDAMAR could soon have a dog-friendly beach if a proposal is agreed at the next town hall plenary meeting.

The proposal comes in response to a demand from residents and visitors, and through support for a dog beach on websiteChange.org which has the support of more than 3,700 people.

Councillor Andres Navarro said the location for the beach has not yet been finalised but city workers had rejected placing it by the port after receiving negative reports from environmental technicians. Some had wanted to place it at the marina next to the breakwater at the mouth of the Segura, where there is no maintenance and it would not disturb bathers on the main beaches, but technicians advised that the most convenient part would be the other side of the pier, and on the left bank of the river where the nudist beach and beach bar is located.

The intention is to have a 200-metre stretch of beach available to dog walkers to use throughout the year. The town hall stresses keeping the area clean of fouling is the “civic duty” of owners.

El Campello was the first municipality in the province to have a dog beach, established in the summer of 2013.