VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Dog owners may get a few extra hours to walk their dogs on the Virginia Beach boardwalk this summer.
City Council will vote to approve extending dog walking hours from Memorial Day to Labor Day at its meeting next week.
Currently during the summer months, owners can walk their leashed dogs on the boardwalk from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. But the proposed ordinance will add nine extra hours.
Dogs of all sizes can be found on the Virginia Beach boardwalk.
“We utilize the boardwalk every day with him, just to make sure. He's a puppy so he needs a lot of exercise," said dog owner Ashby Whitehorne.
Whitehorne is training her dog Goose to walk beside her without pulling on his leash. But Goose may have more time to practice this summer if Virginia Beach City council approves a proposed ordinance.
This week, Virginia Beach Vice Mayor Rosemary Wilson recommended to city council members to extend the hours for dogs on the boardwalk. Whitehorne said she wants the extra time.
“Just because it gives people working more opportunity to get outside with their dog. You just have to be careful, because it gets so hot down here. You want to make sure your dog has water and they are not burning their paws on the hot sand or boardwalk," said Whitehorne.
Wilson said she started the current rules as a pilot program in 2014. Now she said it is time to change it.
“Now it will go from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. So it’s pretty much the daylight hours and this is from Memorial Day to Labor Day," the vice mayor said.
Rosemary argues extending the hours will help Virginia Beach Police officers. She said she worked with Police Chief Paul Neudigate on how the current curfew affects policing.
“It was creating a nuisance for police because they were being called for people out walking their dogs on a leash, which is not a violent crime," said Wilson.
She also said this will help hotel owners get more customers.
“They were having people who want to bring their pets with them and when they found out they couldn’t walk their dogs on the boardwalk, they were losing business," said Wilson.
Wilson said council members are set to vote on the ordinance on Tuesday. Right now, said there are no time restrictions on when to walk your dog during the winter months.