By Jane Smith
Fido and Bella can scamper the beach on Dec. 15 at Boynton Beach’s Oceanfront Park when the city operates a pop-up dog park from 9 a.m. to noon.
“We will staff it to make sure everyone has a good time,” said Wally Majors, Recreation and Parks Department director.
The northern half of the 960-foot-long beach will be fenced off that Saturday morning to contain the dogs in one area. “People will be required to keep their dogs on leashes until they reach the sand,” Majors said.
The fencing will aim to keep dogs from property to the north, which is county beach and does not allow dogs; and to the south, away from other Oceanfront Park guests and the private beaches in Ocean Ridge.
Park rangers will monitor the dogs and their owners. The rangers will ensure the dogs have Palm Beach County licenses, which show their rabies vaccines are current. Owners won’t have to register for their dogs to use the beach.
Parks maintenance workers will set up the fencing, starting at 7 a.m.
Although Boynton Beach owns the beach at Oceanfront Park, it is in Ocean Ridge and subject to its ordinances. Ocean Ridge does not allow animals, including dogs on leashes, on the public beach. Owners of private beaches can allow dogs on their beaches.
Jamie Titcomb, Ocean Ridge town manager, plans to update the commission at its Dec. 3 meeting.
“I already told them about Boynton Beach’s plans,” he said. “It falls under the same purview of anyone holding an event on the beach.”
Boynton Beach parks staff will make sure the dogs are spayed or neutered, Titcomb said.
“We will hope for the best,” he said.
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