New rules governing Swampscott dogs taking effect
Violations come with hefty fines, officials say
Leigh Blander
New rules banning dogs from town-owned property, including parks and school fields, are taking effect. Violators will face hefty fines.
“There are people who think the fields are their personal dog parks,” said Swampscott Board of Health Chair Marianne Hartmann. “People who work at the schools see this happening and with kids using the fields more now for outdoor mask breaks and class time, you would hope that people would be more responsible, but it’s just not happening.”
Town Meeting voted in 2019 to ask the Board of Health to develop language for new regulations banning dogs from town-owned parks and playing fields. The BOH approved the language in October. Signs at the impacted parks and fields are going up now.