ORLEANS -- People aren’t the only ones who appreciate the beaches; dogs do, too.

At least that’s the contention of dog owners from Orleans.

Last month the selectmen voted to ban dogs from April 1 to Labor Day from 70 Willie Atwood Road, a 300-foot stretch of beach that is located near the end of Wildflower Lane adjacent to Skaket Beach. That town property was purchased from the Community of Jesus in 1997 for $1 for the purposes of recreation and a public beach.

That’s not a particularly large beach, and parking is limited at the end of the road although there are more spaces back where two old residences are – one is used by Orleans for lifeguard housing.

However, its appeal is that it abuts a long stretch of state land and beach running to the Brewster town line at Namskaket Creek, where there are no restrictions on dogs. The ban effectively cuts off access to that beach. A sign proclaiming the ban was stolen, according to Town Administrator John Kelly, but one was back up this week at the entrance to the causeway leading to the beach.

Karl Oakes has since started an online petition at thepetitionsite.com called "Reverse excessive restrictions on Orleans dogs." It had 224 supporters as of mid-week.

“The new restriction was passed under a meeting notice obscurely referring to 70 Willie Atwood Lane,” he notes at the website. That is the correct address for the property Kelly said at the selectmen’s meeting, although it can’t actually be reached by Willie Atwood Lane.

“If they want to regulate the dogs to protect birds that’s great,” Oakes said, noting that dogs had been restricted at Nauset Beach to protect breeding plovers. But Oakes was concerned about what he saw as “draconian” rules there and at Skaket, and he asked for a stakeholders meeting last winter. He said that didn’t happen and dogs were banned from Willie Atwood at the request of an abutter, with no debate or discussion by the selectmen on May 15.

“They’re hemming us in, not letting us get to that (state) land. That leaves us no place to take the dogs on the bay and ocean, and concentrates a lot of people at Kent’s Point,” Oakes said. “All of this is completely unnecessary. There is no record of problems in the Wildflower area.”

Orleans Dogowners on Facebook also has more information on this, and last week dog owners turned up at the selectman’s meeting.

“It appears that over the last few years restrictions have become increasingly severe,” said Donald Bachman. “The remaining places we can walk are now restricted. Kent’s Point has become the defacto dog park. Many vacationers that come to Orleans will be pretty upset to find there is no beach access. What many communities do is have dog walking hours in the morning and restrict it later.”

“I’m a new dog owner and I cherish my time at Wildflower beach,” said one woman. “I’m mostly there before 7 a.m. and I’m gone before anyone else arrives and the only place I can let the dog run is on the flats. It’s beautiful and as a resident it’s a shame not having that.”

“April to Labor Day is excessive,” said Ed Rohmer. “We like to enjoy other beaches and public spaces like other taxpayers.”

“I was totally caught by surprise. My legs were knocked out from under me when I saw those signs,” added Sharon Basso. "I depend on that at the end of a workday to decompress and relax. Sometimes we forget that at the end of a leash is not a dog but a taxpaying member of the community.”

The selectmen promised to take up the issue at another meeting.

“You can walk your dog on any conservation property without a leash,” Kelly pointed out at the end of the meeting.

It will be on a future agenda.