Ministers to Respond After Beach Dog Rules Petition Passes 1,000 Signatures

Jersey ministers will be required to respond to a public petition calling for changes to seasonal dog restrictions on the island’s beaches after it attracted more than 1,000 signatures.

The petition argues that the current rules are overly restrictive once schools have returned and the peak tourist season has ended.

Under existing regulations, dogs must be kept on leads on all Jersey beaches between 10:30 and 18:00 from 1 May until 30 September.

Campaigners are now seeking to shorten that period so the restrictions would only apply from 30 May to 7 September.

The petition was launched by Sarah Esteves, who described the current rules as “ludicrous”, particularly at times when beaches are largely deserted.

She said dog owners were being forced to keep pets on leads despite many beaches being “currently empty”.

More than 1,200 people have signed the petition so far, triggering the threshold that requires an official response from Government of Jersey ministers.

If the petition reaches 5,000 signatures, it could also be considered for debate in the States Assembly.