A study on the shores of Lake Michigan has shown that using dogs to chase seagulls away helps lower the amount of E.coli present.
Over the course of the summers of 2012 and 2013, the scientists recorded the number of birds at each section of beach while water and sand samples were collected and tested for E. coli.
They found that the bacterial counts were significantly lower on those sandy stretches where the dogs had kept the gulls at bay.
This is not loose leash dog play, the article describes that owners/handlers must pick up after their animals, and the dogs are kept under control when not ordered to chase birds away. It is a counterpoint to the argument we've heard in the Bay Area that dogs are bad, birds are good and we need to kick dogs out of our parks.
It shows, at the least, you can conduct a study to prove anything.
