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# Dogs don’t belong on the beach
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/dogs-dont-belong-on-the-beach-editor/
- Published: 2005-01-28T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T06:02:49.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Main St, #archive-import

*By Don Johnson Venice*

After reading the article (SMDP, Jan. 26, page 1) about state level opposition to the recent City Council approved off-leash dog beach, I decided to write in support of Superintendent Ron Schafer and Roy Sterns of the State Parks and Recreation Department who rightfully disagree with Georja Jones (Unleash the Beach), Bobby Shriver, and all the rest of the Santa Monica City Council (who are not as politically recognizable and related to Arnold) and recently unanimously favored allowing the spoiling of a large portion our pristine beaches with hundreds of defecating, urinating, loud barking, free ranging, potentially threatening, annoying dogs, to the exclusion of all other responsible and respectable beach users, because of a number of good reasons, the least of which not being that nowhere has anyone presented even a minimal study, report, or any sound scientific evidence that to do so would have no environmental impact.

According to what we have read in past issues of your paper, Heal the Bay certainly has no love for Jones and company’s ridiculous ideas to befoul with council approval Santa Monica’s most treasured community and natural tourist attraction, and has openly stated that it will fight any efforts by council, Jones, and any idiot who bought into the bad concept of “Unleash the Beach.” Schafer and Sterns are right to oppose any efforts to implement such a ridiculous idea that Jones put forth to the Santa Monica City Council airheads, who regularly “unanimously” rubber-stamp such important issues without first allowing any open community debate ever being held. Umano, or Jones, or whatever you want to call yourself, dogs do not have rights. Rights and privileges are more properly reserved for humans. Dog owners do, however, have large responsibilities, which many of them choose not to accept, or otherwise disregard, like the person who thinks they are clever by always carrying a dog leash in hand while letting his or her dog roam everywhere along Main Street completely unrestrained, peeing and pooping anywhere it pleases, while decent people sit in front of fine restaurants dining, thus disrespecting business owners and patrons alike, and who never intend to clean up after their animals.

I believe that all such irresponsible pet owners should pay the city a substantial fee for an additional dog tag to generate adequate funding for the city to regularly pressure wash the stinky sidewalks, lamp posts, fire hydrants, etc. they have created all up and down Main Street regularly. And now Jones, you want your dogs, and any number of other dogs to roam freely, trashing out Santa Monica’s community beaches? You are sick woman.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 28, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/012805.pdf?ref=smdp.com)