In the meantime, Friends of Jupiter Beach will get the word out. Director Anita Lankler said the push for pooches started after the town planned to rewrite an ordinance that would have prohibited dogs from town beaches. Lankler and about 30 other dog-lovers protested to the Town Council. They also erected small wooden boxes at beach access points containing plastic bags to be used for the collection of dog waste. The first Saturday of each month, the group hosts a clean-up starting at the beach at the end of Marcinski Road.
Volunteers scour the beach for trash before returning to tents for hot coffee and a light breakfast.
Lankler said it s during the clean-up that volunteered are trained to walk the beaches to talk to dog owners about the new stricter rules and regulations. They also hand out Solid Waste Authority beach ashtrays to smokers. But what we do at these clean-ups helps the inlet and the river too. Shannon said she enjoys the camaraderie as well. Allison McCarthy, marine science teacher at William T. Dwyer High School, encourages students to participate in monthly clean-ups as part of a lesson in interconnectedness of ecosystems.