THE Mayor of Bournemouth said he welcomes a proposed petition to allow dogs on beaches earlier in the year.

Nicky Crowe, founder of Merlin’s Pet Food Bank, started a petition calling for dogs to be allowed on Blue Flag beaches across Dorset on September 1 instead of October 1.

The petition has collected more than 1,000 signatures.

Read more: 'Over 1,000 signatures for dogs on Dorset beaches petition'

The Mayor of Bournemouth Cllr George Farquhar said: “I'm very supportive of the date for dogs allowed back on the beaches to move to the 1st September since dogs are family members and should participate fully in all family activities.

“I'd go further and allow the month of May to be outside of the dogs on beaches ban.

“I often walk the clifftop along the more easterly beaches in May and often the only folk on the beach are dog walkers during the doggy ban and sea swimmers.

“But I understand the situation would be different closer to the piers and at the bottom of the more popular chines and zigzags.”

A Dorset Council spokesperson said: “A dog related Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) across the Dorset Council area came into force on 1 January 2024 and will remain in place for three years.

"This PSPO was put in place following an extensive consultation that ran for 10 weeks, and had 4,221 responses. We have taken these views into consideration alongside town and parish council wishes and the need to protect the health of families using beaches and other areas.

“The period during which dogs are banned from specific beaches reflects the main months of use by families and children.”

Cllr Richard Herrett, BCP Council cabinet member for destination, leisure and commercial operations, said: "These restrictions only cover certain areas of our seafront and relate directly to the Blue Flag or Seaside Award status many of our beaches boast. The period during which the restrictions are in place is set by Keep Britain Tidy, who administer the awards.

"We are rightly proud of our Blue Flags, which recognise that we have one of the world's outstanding coastal resorts and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.

"We know dog owners still want to enjoy walks on our beaches during these months, which is why half of our beaches remain accessible to all throughout the summer. But not every visitor to our seafront loves dogs. Having some spaces where people know they won't have dogs near, or that they will be on leads, provides the right balance and ensures our seafront remains accessible to all."