SCENTS What’s with all the poop about local dog beaches?
By CAROLE ORLIN
Although I readily admit approaching issues with a certain amount of bias, I pride myself on doing research and trying to educate myself on all sides of a given issue before making up my own mind or persuading others to follow my lead.
I could not help but notice that in the last couple of months, the issue of having a dog beach here in Santa Monica has been heating up. When I first heard about the proposal to have a 1/10-mile of beach in Santa Monica open as an off-leash beach area, I personally did not see a problem. However, after reading several letters to the editor of the SMDP, I decided to speak with people from both sides of the issue. I also decided to revisit a few of the 57 dog beaches in California: In Huntington Beach, Santa Barbara and Carmel. I can see that there are a lot of misconceptions about dog beaches. Let me share some of them with you.
One mistaken assumption is that dog owners want to take over the beach. The response I have heard in connection with the request for a 1/10-mile dog beach is focused on dog owners requesting a fair shake. Dog owners appear to want the same access to recreational opportunities as do tennis players, soccer players, volleyball players, surfers, sunbathers and others.
Another concern voiced is that irresponsible dog owners will ruin it for everyone. The lesson learned from the Preservation Society of neighboring Huntington Dog Beach is that most dog zones are carefully regulated by dog owner/volunteers and community groups that support them. Long Beach and Huntington Beach are cited as two examples. The rules are carefully posted and doggie bags are available. There are volunteer clean-ups and often these end up being the cleanest stretches of the beach. I have to add here that I just got back from a long weekend in Carmel, which is a completely open and dog friendly beach. I was amazed at how beautiful and clean it was. The only litter I saw was some cigarette butts, a banana peel and some empty bottles. Where’s the “poop?”
People have expressed concerns that dogs on the beach will add to the bacterial and pollution levels in the water, and that use of the beaches by dogs will pose a risk to public health. In reviewing a letter prepared by Dr. Ellie J.C. Goldstein, UCLA professor of medicine, infectious diseases, he noted that: “There has been no additional infectious diseases in general, or individual cases in specific that would limit in any way or pose a risk to the public safety from a dog beach … (In) addition, since May 1997, many medical centers have initiated ‘pet visitation’ programs for their patients in hospitals. These programs attest to the safety for pets and pet contact even in sick hospitalized patients.”
As far as bacterial and pollution levels, the Monterey Carmel County Environmental Health Department reported that a study of water quality at all existing California dog beaches showed that there were no present water quality concerns — any that did occur were corrected. Most water pollution was caused by sea birds, septic tanks or storm run-off.
Some people are concerned about the liability to the governing municipalities. The supervisor at Point Isabel and East Shore State Park has stated that not only are there no known lawsuits in the 57 existing official California dog beaches, but there has been a high level of cooperation among the parties. The dog owners realize that the beach is a privilege that can be taken away.
Other people are concerned about the cost to municipalities and governing parties. Huntington Dog Beach, Dog Beach Now, researched and reported that counties and municipalities throughout California have reported no extra cost with regard to additional maintenance associated with dog beaches: “In many places clean-up is the same as for non-dog beaches. In other places, clean-up, provision of doggies bags and scoopers are routinely borne by organizations who commit time and resources to maintain a safe and clean environment.” In fact, there appears to be increases in revenues from parking fees, concession stand revenues, and business at local restaurants and shops.
Some have feared a dog beach would affect tourism adversely. But with more and more people traveling with their pets and more hotels becoming “pet friendly,” a dog beach can actually be an attraction — not a deterrent — to tourists. Are there not more widespread and chronic problems in Santa Monica (such as homelessness) that act as a much more troubling deterrent?
Thus far, more than 1,300 Santa Monica residents have signed petitions in support of the dog beach in Santa Monica, even volunteering and donating money to establish it. That tells me that it is not just a “fringe group” that wants a dog beach area, but that there is a need and a desire among a large portion of the population for a dog beach. There are between 4,000 and 5,000 licensed dogs in Santa Monica. The area targeted for the dog beach area is north of the Arizona Avenue pedestrian overpass and south of the incline in an underdeveloped and underused part of the beach, between lifeguard stands 11 and 12. There is a storm drain there, and no housing adjacent to it. The lifeguards often refer to it as “the desert,” because it is so underused.
The bottom line is that it is not such a big deal to have a small dog beach. Fifty-seven other areas of the state have a dog beach, and nothing terrible has happened. People who do not want a dog beach would not go there, and those that do, will. Whenever there is something new, and something that we do not particularly agree with, we have to go back to the lessons we taught our children: Learning to share, to be tolerant, and to be open to new things. (Carole can be reached at Caroleorlin@yahoo.com).
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 2, 2004. Read the original PDF.