Torrevieja Expats Furious Over Ban On Dog Walking On Beaches

British expats in Costa Blanca are furious over the Torrevieja mayor’s ban on dogs on beaches.

The local mayor is possibly the most unpopular politician in town due to his sudden banning of all dogs from previously dog-friendly beaches. Britain’s expatriate community in the popular destination is furious, both for the loss of human well-being as well as that of their beloved canines. Dogs will now only be allowed in one area, the rocky Cala del Rocio, an area considered unsafe for humans as well as their furry best friends.

The move came after a petition some years ago opened up the creation of dog-friendly beaches, with expat campaigners fighting a successful battle with the town hall to be allowed to walk their dogs along the sandy strands. The change took three years to come about and made the daily dog walk fun for all those who took part, whether they’d two legs or four. The bad news was published three days ago, leaving dog owners and their pets devastated.

One British expat dog walker told local media he was outraged by the sudden change of plan, as walking his dog was his only recreation during the lockdown. He added the surreptitious change of rules, made without a debate or any expat inclusion, was totally out of order. The small, rocky area where dog walking can still take place, he said, is definitely not dog-friendly and can be dangerous, and even the region’s opposition parties believe the ban is out of order, especially as they weren’t told about it first.