I was saddened to read the article about dog activity at Broughton Beach in the November-December 2023 BWNA newsletter.
The article implied in its wording, and the accompanying picture confirmed, that Wilshire Park Swim Club members allow their dogs off-leash at Broughton. Metro policy — proclaimed on a sign at the entrance to this beach and provided at oregonmetro.gov/parks/broughton-beach — clearly states that dogs are allowed on-leash only at Broughton.
It’s generally frustrating when people do not follow the rules in public spaces, but my main concern here is the damage these dogs directly cause to migrating birds. While a pup playfully chasing off a bird may not feel like much of a big deal, many migrating birds expend nearly all of their energy to arrive safely at Broughton to use it as a temporary home to rest, recover, and refuel from their tremendous journeys.
The impact of a dog forcing a completely exhausted bird to fly to safety can literally be life or death to some birds. Imagine running a marathon and crossing the finish line with nothing left in you, and then being forced to run even more for your safety.
I would love to see the Wilshire Park Swim Club embrace the many off-leash areas all over Portland and do their part to protect the safety of the creatures with whom we share Broughton Beach.