The (unleashed) dog days are over

Thursday 07 May 2020

An attempt to extend winter walking hours for dogs and horses on beaches has been abandoned as Jersey anticipates relaxing its ‘stay at home’ guidelines.

As a result, the usual restrictions about keeping dogs on leads and limiting the amount of time horses are allowed on beaches will apply from the beginning of next week as normal.

Assistant Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture Senator Steve Pallett had suggested extending winter hours until lockdown was over – which permits dogs to be off the lead and horses to be on the beach at any time of the day – but has since withdrawn his amendment in light of the island’s lockdown exit plan.

The winter hours were extended a little beyond usual to allow dog walkers greater flexibility to comply with physical distancing and for States Members to debate the amendment of the legislation.

Pictured: The States Assembly were due to debate extending winter hours further. 

During this 12-day extension, the Attorney General Mark Temple QC said there wouldn’t be any prosecution for offences under Policing of Beaches (Jersey) the law from 1 May until the proposition from Senator Steve Pallett is debated. 

Now the debate has been called off, the usual restrictions of keeping dogs on the lead on beaches between 10:30 and 18:00 apply and no horses are allowed on beaches between these times.

It follows the decision to relax the ‘stay at home’ guidance slightly last week, with the anticipation that the island will move into a 'Soft Lockdown' stage on 12 May following comments made by the Health Minister at a press conference last week. 

Commenting on his decision to withdraw the amendment, Senator Pallett said that extending the hours was first considered whilst the island was “under stricter Stay at Home measures”. 

He explained: “While these stricter rules were in place and people could only walk or exercise on the beach, it seemed sensible to extend the winter rules on allowing dogs to be walked off the lead during this lockdown period as there was little opportunity for dogs to be a nuisance to beach goers. It also allowed dog owners better opportunities to adhere to the physical distancing rules if they had the whole day to walk their dog rather than just the period before 10.30 and after 18:00.”

He continued: “However, since the relaxation of the Stay at Home restrictions, families and household groups are accessing the beach more readily and are increasingly likely to do so when the weather is good.

“This will undoubtedly mean the likelihood that, should dog walkers have access to the beach to walk their dogs off the lead between 10.30am and 6pm, there is an increased risk that loose dogs will cause a nuisance to beach goers. The summer restrictions are specifically put in place to prevent this happening while people enjoy the beach, often with children.”

Prosecutions under this law have also now been resumed. A statement from the Law Officers’ Department reads: “As [Senator Pallett] has decided against the extension of the winter hours for dogs and horses on beaches the position has changed.

“The Attorney General as head of the Honorary Police has therefore directed Centeniers to charge offences against Regulation 2 (1) (h) of the Regulations as normal from 10.30 on 13 May 2020. The States of Jersey Police has been made aware of this decision.” 

Senator Pallett has said that should the situation change, and stricter Stay at Home guidance is imposed again, the law amendment could be re-considered.