VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Dog owners will get a few extra hours to walk their dogs on the Virginia Beach boardwalk this summer.
Virginia Beach City Council voted 8-1 Tuesday night to extend the hours that dogs can be on the boardwalk from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
During those months, dogs were only allowed to be on the boardwalk from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Now, the hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Virginia Beach Vice Mayor Rosemary Wilson recommended the idea to city council members last week. She argued it would help police officers.
“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," Wilson said last week.
Wilson also said last week that the extended hours would help hotel owners at the Oceanfront.
“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.
