Zihuatanejo Beaches: No Dogs Allowed

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Expats raise a fuss over municipal bylaw banning pets

Planning a Mexico vacation with the family dog? Better stay away from Zihuatanejo if your pet enjoys spending time on the beach.

Municipal authorities in the Guerrero tourist destination have decided to enforce a bylaw known as Beach Use Criteria which bans pets from all the town’s beaches, along with glass and styrofoam containers.

The regulations also restrict camping and campfires, introducing unauthorized vehicles and the use of confetti, “luminous paper” and Chinese sky lanterns.

Those who violate the law will be fined between 700 and 5,000 pesos, or about US $35 to $270. Depending on the violation, offenders could also be detained for up to 32 hours.

Asked why the law was being enforced now, the municipal director of ecology and environment, Gustavo Gurrión Maldonado, said “we’re just following the guidelines.”

Unhappy dog owners — most of whom are expats — followed up by expressing their opinions on the message board at zihuatanejo.net, where administrator ZihuaRob started the discussion under the headline, “Dog Owners — Zihuatanejo’s Authorities Don’t Want You Here.”

“It is with great sadness and regret that I must state the obvious: if you want to travel with your pet, Zihuatanejo officially does not want you here,” he wrote.

Forum user Katherine, a seasonal resident who regards Zihuatanejo as her “second home,” wrote that she “does not intend to continue vacationing in a place where my dog (a family member) is not welcome.”

Another expat resident, who said Zihuatanejo is the first town in Mexico to fine people for walking their dogs on the beach, told Mexico News Daily: “My husband and I are parents to three pupsters so this is very sad news. We are always responsible dog-walkers and carry plastic bags if our kids need to go to the bathroom. Many tourists make messes on the beach and never clean up after themselves. These irresponsible people are never fined.”

That sentiment was echoed on the web forum, where many users questioned the new law, as it doesn’t mention the fines to be ordered against those who litter.

The new regulations are said to have been promoted by a restaurant owner on the beach known as La Ropa. In a public Facebook post he shared a flyer with official municipal seals that announced the new regulations.

Mexican residents of Zihuatanejo received the news with supportive comments, although some did question the decision of banning pets altogether, while echoing their surprise that fines and sanctions for littering weren’t included