KITTERY (AP) – Dogs will still be allowed to romp free on the beaches of Kittery.

The town council considered banning out-of-town dogs from the town’s beaches to cut down on debris. But the council decided to drop the proposal Monday night after dog owners promised to clean up their acts.

Kittery Town Councilor Dennis Estes proposed the measure after he suspected New Hampshire dogs were clogging up the beaches.

Seapoint Beach has become so popular with dog owners in Kittery and neighboring towns in New Hampshire that it has earned the nickname “Dog Beach.”

Dogs are banned from beaches in New Castle, New Hampshire during the summer. In Portsmouth, there is a dog park, but no area for dogs to run and swim.

AP-ES-09-09-03 1233EDT