Letter: Beach rules for Maine dogs should pertain only to shorebirds

MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • September 13, 2026

This is in response to a letter in the paper, “A suggestion for keeping dog waste off Maine beaches.”The letter suggests banning dogs from all Maine beaches (because of their waste). As a dog owner in Maine who loves to take his dog to the beach, a ban on dogs from all Maine beaches is absurd. The real problem with dogs being on beaches is that they can disturb the nesting sites of Maine’s beautiful and diverse shorebirds. These birds include the federally threatened piping plover and the endangered least tern. At the very least, dogs should always be kept on leash on beaches where it is known that shorebirds nest. Even the most gentle dog can harm shorebirds by simply causing panic. ~ Oliver Gordon, Falmouth