By Ben and Doris Stegall Santa Monica
My husband and I both called your Q-line last Wednesday, which should have been well before your usual Friday deadline to have our responses printed. We were disappointed that we weren’t included in “The Straight Poop on City Debris.” So perhaps now you will print it in the letters to the editor column: Not only do I not agree with the City Council’s demands that “doggie houses” be removed from public trees in Santa Monica, but also I feel that they should pass an amendment, or law, making it mandatory for them to remain in place. Also, the city should pay to have more of these “doggie houses”placed strategically around the city and replenished regularly with the plastic bags to remove the dog waste by their owners or dog walkers when they are otherwise not equipped or prepared to do so. If someone is found not picking up after their pet, they should be ticketed and fined a hefty sum of money to be used to defray the city’s expenses regarding the purchase, placing and refurbishing the “doggie houses.” In addition, Valerie Hiss should be commended by the City Council for her helpful services to the community and reimbursed for all incurred expenses and time spent in making Santa Monica a more pleasant place to live for all the residents in this area.
Not only do I strongly disagree that the doggie houses be removed from the trees that already house them, but I think that a doggie house should be placed on a tree on every block in Santa Monica. It will greatly improve healthful conditions for residents and also keep the waste out of our already polluted ocean. Kudos to Valerie Hiss for providing a service that City Hall should be ashamed of for not doing themselves. It’s hard to believe City Hall worries about making exceptions to laws when they don’t follow through on so many other laws that would improve the health of Santa Monicans. They should find a solution to make this good service workable.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 18, 2006. Read the original PDF.