Walking on Higgins Beach last night!!

 

 

What a beautiful night and a great sunset to boot!!!

You can almost make out the crescent moon  in the upper center of this picture

 

 

And this one is just before the sun was completely gone!!

 

We are working to keep access to the public lands and beaches for Everyone!! 

Please help us achieve our goal by signing the petition to allow the public to vote on any restrictions to the public lands that we all pay taxes on. 

 

For those interested in signing a petition, we have a table set up at Town Hall Monday through Friday where volunteers will be collecting signatures daily from 10-4.  The petition will also be available Wednesday evening until 6:30, and Thursday night from 6-9 pm at town hall.   We also have more than 50 people collecting signatures throughout the town who are highly motivated, so you may have someone knocking at your door.  If you can't make it to one of our designated petitioning locations and would like to sign, please send us your address and we'll get someone out to you.

In addition to Town Hall, you can also drop by the following locations:


The Dog Paws Inn at 373 Gorham Road
(Mon - Fri from 7-12 and 2-6pm, Sat. 9-12 and 2-4, and Sunday 2-6.  Monday - 10/14 Holiday - 9-12 and 2-4).  


Paws Applause at 27 Gorham Road (Rt. 1  - Oakhill Plaza) 
Tuesday & Thursday 10-12 

MaineGroceryDelivery.Com 
Will have petition available when making deliveries,  and will be happy to make special trips to gather signatures from non-customers upon request. 
(email:  info@mainegrocerydelivery.com).

Many area businesses have agreed to allow petitioners to collect signatures, and we will be posting specifics here as soon as we have volunteers lined up to staff tables at these locations.
Any additional businesses interested in gathering signatures or willing to allow a member of the community to collect them at your place of business, please let us know and we will add your information here on the site listed below!

 

scarborodogs.weebly.com

We realize this is a controversial issue, and there are some who may have had a negative dog experience in the past and do not share our passion and love for dogs.  Signing the petition is simply saying that you agree that the residents of Scarborough should be allowed to have their voice heard on this issue.  The petition will get this issue on the ballot, where it will be up to the people to decide. 

 

Please Sign Today. 

Preserve Freedom of Access for Everyone!!!

We have a new webpage!!! 

Please check it out at:

www.scarborodogs.weebly.com

Go on the site to register with the group plus received very important up-dates and information...

Check it out now!!!

Where is every one???

Higgins Beach at 8:15 this Morning.

 

Where are all the people that suppose to be using the beach??

 

On Wednesday, October 2, 2013 the Town Council of Scarborough, Maine passed an amended ordinance that restricts dogs on all of the town's public lands.  This new ordinance includes in the definition of public lands to be roadways, sidewalks, parks and beaches!  And this ordinance went into effect at 12:01am on October 3, 2013!!

 

Here is a quick out-line of the change in the ordinance:

·         Dogs must always be on a leash less than 8 feet long when on Town beaches – even in the winter.



 

 

·         Leashes are also always required on all Town streets, sidewalks, parks and fields – leaving no public space to exercise a dog.

 

 

·        The “summer season” during which dogs are banned from the beach entirely was extended by two months – it is now April 1st - September 15th.

 

 

 

·         Overnight, Scarborough became one of the most dog-restrictive towns in Maine with dramatic negative consequences for many Town residents, businesses and seasonal visitors.

 

 

So, you may ask: "what can I do to help?"

ü  SIGN OUR PETITION to authorize a special election to overturn the amended ordinance.

 

ü  Ask friends & neighbors to sign the petition.

 

ü  Learn more about the issue and how to sign a petition by visiting our Facebook Page at :

Dog Owners of Greater Scarborough, ME

 

ü  Watch for the exact date of the special election to overturn the amended ordinance!

 

Scarborough already had a thoughtful and well-reasoned beach access policy.  During the summer, it only allowed unleashed dogs under voice control on the beaches from 6-9am; after 5pm dogs were required to be on leashes.  This ordinance considered the needs of beach goers, surfers, fishermen, dog owners and threatened wildlife.  Please help us restore that common-sense access to Scarborough’s beautiful beaches!

 

 

E-mail us at scarboro.dogs@gmail.com

 

 



This is it, September 1st!!!

 

End of Summer but the beginning of a beautiful and quiet time on the beach with dogs off-leash after September 15th.

 

Higgins is patiently waiting...14 days and Counting!!

 

But a big change is coming if you don't act now!  Instead of being able to enjoy your time on Scarborough Beaches from September 16th until June 14th, the Town Council is change the on-leash time from April 1st to September 15!!  That is moving the time limit out by 4 months, plus there will be no off-leash time anymore during those months!!

 

And the Town Council is making this change so to avoid Fines that are suppose to be imposed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  This is not the whole truth!!  The other part of the "truth" is that the USFWS is holding up the dredging project of the Scarborough River that is also suppose to nourish Western Beach (you know, the private beach that is owned by the Prouts Neck Association)...    Hmmm, shall we call it what is is...political blackmail!  The USFWS is holding the whole project as hostage so to get the change in the Dog and Plover Ordinance.  These are the same people who have shut down whole beaches from Cape Hatteras to Cape Cod to not only dogs but people as well!!

 

So, you ask, what can I do?  You can help by writing your State and Federal Legislators!!  Make a call or write a letter to Chellie Pingree, Angus King, Mike Michaud and your State Senator and Representative.  Express your total displeasure of this blatant over-reach by this agency!  If you don't do it now, the next "dredging" project will push their agenda even further down our throats!!

 

 

It's Freedom of Access!!

 

Make Yourself Heard!!

 





What a Great Weekend this is going to be!!!

 

 

The day has started off with a clear sky and nice, dry temperature!  Time to hit the beach with Higgins and Hazel for the prior to nine o'clock run and social time...fantastic.

 

 

Lots of adults, kids and dogs intermingling and really enjoying the start to what is going to be a great day.  The weekend is going to be perfect weather.  And we are starting our vacation week with family and friend coming to visit.

 

 

 

 



 

So, why does this have to change?  Everyone is respecting the beach and each other. 

 

Here is Jim, dog owner, with his bag that he always has with him when walking his dogs. Jim fills that bag with the trash that has been left on the beach by the Human Element.  Items in his "trash bag" include old diapers, juice boxes, paper, bottles, cans and other things.  Jim is one of the many responsible dog owners that enjoys walking the beach with his dogs and also performs a great community service!!

Lets keep Scarborough Beaches open for all!! 

 

Freedom of Access

 

Express your opinion...write a letter or e-mail to your Town Councilors today.  Also, plan to attend the Town Council Meeting on Sept. 4th at 7:00 PM!!

Saturday morning at Higgins Beach....

Dog Time at the Beach!!!

 

 

What a beautiful day this is going to be.  Summer is starting to wind down but we have many wonderful days left to enjoy ..  It's not time to break out the winter coats just yet!!

 

 

The Beach Shack is open to all!!

 

This is what we stumbled upon during the week.  Some very busy young adults built it down near the Spurwink River...excellent job! The sign near the entrance says "Respect the Beach Shack" and people are!!  Haven't been on the beach during the day (working, you know) but hear that everyone is talking about it and the little kids are having a great time using it.

 

  It's wonderful to see everyone enjoying Higgins Beach, one of our most precious assets.

 

Keep Beach Access Open to Everyone!!!

 

Please plan to attend the Scarborough Town Council Meeting

Wednesday August 21st

7PM

Scarborough Municipal Building

259 U.S. Route One

 

 

 

 

 

A little foggy this morning but....

 

A little foggy on the beach but as you can see the sun is coming out and the temperature is going up!! 

 

Higgins and Hazel are enjoying their brief morning time on the beach with all the others dogs that so love the freedom they have.  Great social event for dogs and owners alike!!

 

 

Please call your councilors and express to them that a new ordinance will not help with the "problem" as they perceive it when the original ordinance is not currently enforced!  Education and Enforcement are the only things that will work.  We don't need more restriction of freedoms; just better enforcement of the current ones!

 

The Town Council of Scarborough is voting on the new ordinance on August 21st at 7pm at the Municipal Building.  Please make every effort to attend this very important meeting!!

 

Freedom of Access for Everyone!!

 

Another Start to a Beautiful Day on Higgins Beach!!

 

 

This is Higgins Beach at 8am this morning...a cup of coffee for each of us with Hazel and Higgins in tow.  What a great way to start the day!!  A lot of socialization going on between the dogs and dog owners alike.  Even non-dog owners are enjoying the picture perfect day!  This scene must not change.  However, with the proposed ordinance change, this could very well be the end of this freedom that we all enjoy!  Let's make every effort to keep the present ordinance in place and to take one more step and that would be to have that ordinance enforced by the Town of Scarborough.  Why add to something that is not being enforced anyway!

 

Please make an effort to attend the Town Council Meeting on August 21st and show your support for keeping the present ordinance in place!!!

Good Morning all,

Another beautiful day in the Great State of Maine! 

People are on Higgins Beach enjoying the early morning...surfers, dog owners, non dog owners all alike.  What a social scene to see...I should have had my camera with me.

We need to keep this access open to all that truly enjoy this area.  It is the social responsibility of the council to strike down the new ordinance that has been drafted!  Right now, the Town is not enforcing the present ordinances...so how are they going to enforce a new ordinance?

Please plan to attend the council meeting on this very important issue.  The meeting will be on August 21st at 7pm.  We would like to see all citizens of Greater Portland attend this meeting.

It's not an dog issue, it's Freedom of Access!

New rules could tighten leash for Scarborough dog ownerswww.wgme.comSCARBOROUGH WGME -- Dog owners in Scarborough could have to keep their dogs on leashes at all times.

New rules could tighten leash for Scarborough dog owners

www.wgme.com

SCARBOROUGH WGME -- Dog owners in Scarborough could have to keep their dogs on leashes at all times.

Just started this group. Join Us!

Good Afternoon,

The Dog Owners of Greater Scarborough is a group that has been organized to help educate and enforce the present ordinances that have been enacted by the Town of Scarborough. 

We are asking that people, whether Citizens of Scarborough or not, dog owners or not, to join with us to protect the right of access to public areas within the Town of Scarborough.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP

 

CONTACT US AT:

dog.owners.greater.scarborough@gmail.com