Milton Beach less fowl thanks to man's best friend

Milton Beach is open and ready for business. (Courtesy photo)

MILTON - The beach has gone to the dogs, and that's a good thing.

Beachgoers were happy campers today at Milton Town Beach after testing on Monday showed low levels of bacteria and allowed officials to reopen the beach for swimming.

Signs warning against swimming and wading were removed around 3 p.m.

Apparently the lack of rain has been a help. Plus Rec Director Karen Brown said they have had a pair of dogs roam the beach every morning, much to the dismay of the geese.

Brown said in a email this afternoon that " ... the two dogs that we have had visiting the beach before and after we open for the day are keeping our fine-feathered friends from enjoying themselves in our field and other areas around the beach."

The beach had been closed since July 25 due to high amounts of fecal bacteria found in test samples by the state DES. Several samples were taken since then, but not until yesterday’s test had contamination been reduced to a safe level.

The chief culprit in the closings is said to have been the geese who have made the beach their summer home for several years now.