Town officials are reminding people that dogs are not allowed on Barrington Beach during the summer season.

More specifically, dogs are not allowed on the section of beach that runs from Water Way east to Beach Road. That prohibition remains in effect from Memorial Day to Labor Day. 

Barrington Recreation Department Director Michele Geremia said that people can still park their cars in the beach lot (as long as they have a parking pass) and walk their dogs to a different stretch of sand, however, town ordinance requires that dogs be kept on-leash in public spaces.

Geremia said the dog-related issue started last month. 

“It’s been happening since the beach opened on the 27th,” Geremia said, referring to the late May opening. “It’s just sort of continued.”

Geremia said she has received reports of people sitting on the beach with their dogs and other people playing ball with their dogs on the town beach. 

“I’m a little concerned that when it gets hot, the dogs will be in the water,” she said. 

A cool start to the summer season has limited crowds at Barrington Beach, Geremia said, although it was quite busy on Memorial Day weekend. 

“For the first three days of the season, the beach was mobbed,” she said. 

Recently, beach attendants began noticing more people bringing their dogs to the beach. Town officials — Geremia, Town Manager Phil Hervey, Police Chief Michael Correia, and officials from the Barrington Department of Public Works — met at the beach on Wednesday, June 14 to discuss the issue. Geremia said Chief Correia recommended that beach attendants and lifeguards first issue a verbal reminder to people who bring their dogs to the beach. If the dog owners do not comply, beach staff will call the police, Geremia added. 

“Some will (follow the rules) and some won’t,” Geremia said. “For some people, it’s just a matter of making them aware.”

There are some “No Dogs at the Beach” signs located at the beach, Geremia said, but they are attached to the wooden guardrails along the parking lot and can be obscured by vehicles at times. She said the DPW will be making additional signs that will be posted at all beach access points. 

No dogs on beach

This is not the first time the town has faced the dogs-on-beach issue. In 2014, the state Department of Health created an initiative to maintain healthy beaches. At that time, Barrington Recreation Department Director Michele Geremia published flyers that listed the reasons why dogs are not allowed on the beach. 

1. It has been estimated that a single gram of dog waste can contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria, which are known to cause cramps, diarrhea, intestinal illness, and serious kidney disorders in humans.

2. Small children play in the sand. Dogs on the sand increases the risk of diseases and parasites such as hookworms, and roundworm. The effects are more severe for our youngest and most at-risk citizens.

3. Feces can support pathogens for months or years.

4. The decay of your pet’s waste actually creates nutrients for weeds and algae and limits the amount of light that can penetrate the water’s surface. As a result, oxygen levels in the water decrease, suffocating the fish and seafood we eat. 

5. Barrington has a town ordinance that states: No dogs are allowed on the beach during beach season. Violations can result in a fine.