New York, New York – First the Yankees and now this

[Dr. Jack]

Man Sues to Bring Dog to Naked Beach

BY ERIK GERMAN

FIRE ISLAND, N.Y. -- The only cure for what ails Mark DelCore is sunbathing stark naked beside his rat terrier named Cheekies, he said in a federal lawsuit against officials on Fire Island.

The man said he suffers post-traumatic stress disorder and "an acute skin condition" resulting from exposure to toxins after the terror attacks on Sept. 11, according to a suit DelCore filed in U.S. District Court this week.

"Since my skin condition is all over my body," DelCore said in the suit, he needs the healing rays to touch every square inch of his skin -- hence his frequent 48-mile trips to Fire Island's clothing-optional beach near Kismet. But Fire Island National Seashore says Cheekies should be like DelCore's clothes on the beach -- gone.

Cheekies "provides me emotional support and comfort," DelCore contends in the suit, so DelCore has sued Fire Island National Seashore for the right to bring the dog.

The park forbids all pets besides guide dogs from its swimming beaches. And there's the rub. DelCore said Cheekies' therapeutic companionship qualifies him as a "service dog" -- enjoying the same protections as guide dogs under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"My dog is a typical service dog, he is obedient and well trained," DelCore said in the suit.

Officials with the national park aren't convinced. "Our policy excludes all pets except Seeing Eye dogs," said Paula Valentine, a spokeswoman for Fire Island National Seashore.

DelCore did not respond to requests for comment, but some say he may find his description of Cheekies hard to sustain in court.

"There is a very clear line between therapy animals and service animals," said Mary Pregent, with Canine Companions for Independence in Farmingville, which trains assistance dogs. "Service animals are taught to perform very specific tasks for disabled individuals."