INDIALANTIC, Fla. — Volunteers in Brevard County took to Canova Dog Beach for a clean-up event Saturday. Their efforts are part of an ongoing "thank you" to Brevard for keeping that portion of the beach dog-friendly.
- Sandy Paws group organizes volunteers
- Sandy Paws part of Keep Brevard Beautiful network
- More Brevard County stories
The Sandy Paws Brevard group organizes the clean-ups. They ask their volunteers to dedicate at least 30 minutes to picking up any trash they find to keep things that may be harmful for dogs, wildlife and beachgoers away.
Sandy Paws Coordinator Hilary Steinberter said the pups are not to blame for most of the debris picked up today.
“Most of what we find here is not animal waste," she explained. "It's human waste like cigarette butts. That's the number one thing we find, and alcohol containers."
Beachgoers said about ten feet of sand washed away overnight because of Hurricane Dorian. That didn't stop quite a few volunteers from helping clean up the dog beach.
Vanessa Linero, 14, helped clean up the quarter-mile stretch of beach with her parents Saturday.
“Because I like the environment, and I want for the animals to be safe, like the sea turtles,” Linero said.
Canova Dog Park features a pavilion and outdoor showers for both pets and people. According to the city, dogs must have proper tags with a dog license that shows proof of rabies vaccination, and owners must keep the dogs on a leash at all times.
There are materials and receptacles provided onsite to clean up after a pet.
Sandy Paws is part of the Keep Brevard Beautiful network of volunteers.