Lee County dog park opens for the first time since Hurricane Ian

Dog owners get ready to hit the beach in Lee County because the Bonita Dog Park is back open. It’s the first step for Lee County to open its beaches, and more progress is on the horizon.

But, it’s unfortunately not all good news. Pictures taken on Wednesday display dead fish scattered all around. And with that amount of dead fish, the pungent smell of the rotting fish permeated the area.

The beach wasn’t crowded with dogs Wednesday afternoon, but WINK News witnessed plenty of dead fish on the shores.

“I came today just to stop by and see what it looks like because they finally opened it back up,” dog owner Daniel Hogoboom said.

But what Hogoboom saw at the beach he wasn’t too fond of.

“It’s definitely depressing coming down here,” Hogoboom said.

The dog beach officially reopened for the first time since Hurricane Ian on Wednesday. But Lori and Tim Shoyer were at the beach last week with their dog, Link, but weren’t aware it was closed.

“It was great. The sand was beautiful,” Shoyer said.

Unfortunately, the beach’s aesthetic wasn’t as appealing or alluring as a mere week ago.

“Not only are there dead fish, but there’s 25-pounders out there. So we decided not to go out. We’ll just head to the dog park for the afternoon,” Shoyer said.

And they aren’t alone. Another woman WINK News spoke to on her way out said her dog wouldn’t go near the water.

As for Link, he seemed more interested in the interview than in one of his favorite spots. Nevertheless, Link didn’t want to comment on the beach being back beside a wagging tail.

Being on the beach, visitors can feel the tickle in their throats. That’s why Lee and Collier Counties have issued Red Tide advisories.

FGCU Red Tide expert Mike Parsons told WINK News on Tuesday that the levels we’re seeing are comparable to 2018, the year of the water crisis.