Dog owners in South Portland face a referendum banning dogs from Willard Beach.

Due to objections by a few individuals in South Portland there is a group called “Save Willard Beach” (see their objectives and purpose on their website www.savewillardbeach.com). Gary Crosby leads the group, and he has submitted a referendum question to ban dogs from Willard Beach from April 15 to October 15 and have dogs on-leash during the other days of the year.

The South Portland Dog Owners Group has been active for over ten years. Without the organization of SoPoDOG off-leash access to open spaces would be eliminated entirely by people who do not understand or accept the importance of safe, off-leash recreation for people with their dogs. We are again working hard to protect public access to public spaces, in this case specifically Willard Beach. We need your membership to help us keep access to spaces we use and love!

The South Portland Dog Owners Group is working on generating membership for the upcoming year, 2009. Membership is $5.00 per household and helps support continued access to open spaces in South Portland for people to recreate with their dogs responsibly. Donations above the $5.00 membership fee are also welcome.

To defeat this referendum we will need all of the organization and financial support we can muster. Please take a few minutes to print out the attached membership form and send it in with a check to support the group.

Forward this to friends. Group membership is not limited to South Portland residents, anyone can join SoPoDOG.

To make our on-line Yahoo! discussion group more secure if we do not receive your completed membership form by January 10, 2009 we will be shutting down the group to invited individuals only. This will also encourage people to become official, documented members. Membership can be accepted throughout the year, but after January 10th it will be a “members only” site.

The Dog Owners Group wants to work with you and the city to encourage responsible dog ownership, to be good stewards of open spaces and to promote safe public access of public property in the City of South Portland.

Please join us and become an official member to keep public spaces public for all users.

Thank you,

- Crystal Goodrich, President South Portland Dog Owners Group
southportlanddog@yahoo.com
www.sopodog.com