At long last, a beach is opening specifically for people and families who want to enjoy their holidays by the sea with their dogs.
Peniche’s Porto da Areia Norte, two kms from the centre of town, is officially opening on Saturday August 6.
It will be a beach where dogs are “100% welcome”, as long as they are kept on their leads and conform to all the necessary codes of good conduct.
Bags for “deposits” will be freely available, along with various refuse bins and a general “sanitary reinforcement” to keep the whole place clean.
It is the first truly dog-welcoming beach in a country that effectively ‘shuts down’ against animals on the beach during the summer – imposing serious fines on anyone caught sneaking their pooches onto the sands, whether on or off their leads.
Only ‘unsupervised’ beaches (beaches without lifeguards) turn a blind eye to animals – and these of course offer less security to swimmers.
It is not explained in the various stories about Portugal’s new doggie beach whether lifeguards – either two-legged or four – will be available.
