Conn. couple protests dog ban at R.I. beach

[bigdoglover]

Eyewitness News 12 Providence, New Bedford

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) -- A Connecticut couple getting married on a dog-free beach in Newport is asking for an exemption so their pets can participate in the ceremony.

Shannon Simmons and Cameron Signs plan to get married in September on Easton's Beach. Their wedding party includes Winston, an English bulldog, and Daisy Mae, a Jack Russell terrier. They describe both pets as furry family members.

But there's one problem: dogs are banned from the beach until October.

The ban was enacted last year after a man attacked two people with pepper spray because they refused to put their dogs on leashes. The incident spurred a heated debate about how much freedom dogs should enjoy on the beach and led to a longer ban.

Simmons and Signs are asking for a one-hour exemption for their wedding ceremony. So far, no word from City Hall.