You can bring your dog to the beach in Daytona Beach starting Dec. 1 after the Volusia County Council on Tuesday approved an ordinance setting up a new dog-friendly beach.
The council had voted last month to move forward with the plan. The unanimous vote on the ordinance made it official.
The dog beach is on 1.7 miles of shoreline between the Williams Avenue and Seabreeze Boulevard approaches.
County Councilman Troy Kent had proposed the idea. He said he's gotten positive feedback on the dog beach and generally seen hasn't much opposition to it.
When the agenda item first came up, he said, "the number of businesses and hotels that said, ‘We want this. We're a dog friendly hotel. We want this in front of our business’ -- that stuck out to me."
The nonprofit Daytona Dog Beach will play a key role in funding and maintaining the beach. It's been a big part of the county's successful dog-friendly beach in Ormond Beach. That shorter 0.6-mile stretch was made permanent earlier this year after a pilot program.
"What began as a small vision of a single stretch of sand where responsible dog owners could safely share the shore has grown into a true community success story," organization President Nanette McKeel Petrella told the council.
She thanked them for the new dog beach and said her group of volunteers is ready.
"Yes, as a full and committed partner," she said, "we are prepared to continue providing trained volunteers, beach cleanup, public education on responsible use and community outreach that builds pride and accountability."
Volusia County Animal Services will enforce certain rules: the dogs have to be on a leash, owners will have to pick up after their pets, and the animals must not disturb wildlife or dune vegetation.
