This week’s Q-Line question asked: “Do you think Santa Monica needs a dog-friendly beach area?” Here’s what your fellow Santa Monicans had to say: official said the group has been looking into the possibility of giving priority to families who had been displaced by construction of the freeway in the early 1960’s, which knocked-down hundreds of single family homes in the Pico Neighborhood. ■“I don’t think that Santa Monica needs a dog friendly beach. There’s a lot of beaches around where owners can take their dogs. Judging from some of the streets here where owners are not picking up their dog crap, it wouldn’t be any different on the beaches. There are too many people that go to the beach during the summertime. I think the beaches are for people not dogs.” ■“Absolutely, our dog loves the beach. We have the choice of either taking him illegally to Malibu or somewhere close by, or driving to Huntington Beach. I am very much in favor for having a beach area for dogs.” ■“I’ve had dogs in my family for over 30 years but I disagree with having dogs on the beach. I’ve been attacked and the owners are irresponsible. They don’t clean up after the dogs. It’s the same thing with the Santa Monica Park. Owners should walk their dogs on the street and clean-up after them. Otherwise, they should move to the countryside.” ■“I think Santa Monica needs a dog beach with limited areas and limited times. There a lot of people in this city with no place to take their dogs.” ■“I don’t think it’s necessary to have a beach designated for dogs. But I do wish that the owners would clean-up after their dogs. I know some do but a lot don’t. I seem to always be stepping dog doo.” ■“I do not think that Santa Monica needs a dog friendly beach area. If you’ve been around any of the dog areas which are here in Santa Monica, many are not well kept. They are loud and noisy and smelly. I believe the dog-friendly areas are for the owners. Maybe that’s their only way of having a life or their only way of becoming acquainted with people.
I am certainly against it, but mainly because of pollution.” ■“I absolutely agree that we need a dog beach. Santa Monica is like living in a prison, you can’t take your dog anywhere.” ■“Just think of the logistics for a dog friendly beach for 9 million people? I think it would be a horrible idea. It would not work.” ■“I believe they should have a designated area for dogs just as long as the owners are responsible for cleaning up after them. If they can let the homeless sleep all over the beach and harass people for money, they can let a friendly furry dog have a place to play.” ■“There should absolutely be a place where dogs can go. We have all of these wide beaches and they are hardly ever crowded. It could be limited to weekdays instead of weekends. Dog owners are generally responsible and police each other. It could be a revenue stream for the city and they could require an additional fee. When I had a yellow lab that loved the water I would have gladly paid $100 to $200 a year for the privilege of taking her to the water that she loved.” ■“I disagree with having dogs on the beach. It’s never worked at any beach that I’ve ever been too. They run over to you and bother you. There’s the problem of cleaning urine up. I think that people should be satisfied walking their dogs on the street. If they need to have them off the leash they should move to the country.” ■“No, dogs should not be allowed on the beach! They should enforce the anti-dog ordinances that are now in existence. There is nothing worse than dogs chasing and killing birds and chasing children. They leave their poop all over the place because their rude owners can’t clean-up.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 10, 2002. Read the original PDF.