A group of citizens in Santa Monica is launching a campaign in favor of converting a portion of Santa Monica’s beach into a leash-free zone where dogs would be allowed to run and play under the supervision of their owners. The idea has sparked debate among city residents. Some argue that a dog beach would be an important addition to Santa Monica’s community. Others worry that allowing dogs to run free on a portion of the beach would bring serious safety and public health concerns with it.
So this week, Q-Line wants to know, “Should a portion of Santa Monica’s beach be designated an off-leash zone for dogs? Why or why not?”
Call (310) 285-8106 with your responses before Friday at 5 p.m. We’ll print them in the weekend edition. Please limit your comments to a minute or less. It might help to first think about the wording of your response.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 21, 2004. Read the original PDF.