Stern Warning For Proposed Makeshift Marblehead Puppy Play Day

MARBLEHEAD, MA — Marblehead Animal Control delivered a stern warning to organizers of a proposed "puppy playgroup."

The playgroup, suggested in a social media post, was proposed for Seaside Park. But Animal Control warned of the implications of what may seem like some harmless canine fun.

"This is not allowed," Marblehead Animal Control responded in a post on the police Facebook page. "Only the dog park is open to dogs off leash in Marblehead. If your dog bites another dog, or is bitten, you will be 100 percent responsible if your dog is off leash."

The post also delved into the costly nature of the state's unforgiving liability law when it comes to dog bites, citing "lawsuits that go over $100,000 to compensate for cosmetic injuries."

Animal Control said the organizers could not only be fined but also become part of any lawsuit if something goes wrong.

"All of this makes the citations you will receive small in comparison," Animal Control said.

The harsh point was apparently taken because the social media puppy proposal was promptly deleted.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)