Forced to swim with dogs

I want to draw people's attention to the disregard of the dog policy rules at Ocean and Umina beaches.

On the morning of January 31, I was forced once again to swim and sit with dogs in the flagged area at Ocean Beach and watched a parade of dog walkers walk the whole length of the beach from Augusta St south to the end.

All of the owners took the dogs off the leash and threw sticks immediately outside the flagged area while some kept their dogs inside the flagged area and swam with them between the flags.

The lifeguard did nothing.

All of this occurred in the no-dog area.

I really draw the line at having to swim with dogs.

I spoke to one owner and they claimed ignorance and cited other dogs doing the same.

When is this going to stop?

Why is the signage so miniscule and often non-existent?

Why is the monitoring non existent?

Why is there no policing of the no-dog area?

Council would make a fortune if they went down to this stretch of beach every morning and afternoon.

Jennifer Herrick, Umina