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# Foaming at the mouth
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/foaming-at-the-mouth-editor/
- Published: 2004-06-17T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T04:32:54.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Westwood, #archive-import

*By Don Johnson Venice Beach*

After reading a lengthy article in your paper today (SMDP June 15, page 1) regarding “Unleash the Beach” that is, loco teacher Georja Umano Jones having the ill-conceived concept in mind to encourage others to circulate a petition forcing all others by City Council order to allow dog owners to release their animals at random on a large portion of Santa Monica’s otherwise majestically pristine, world-class beaches (between lifeguard towers 11 and 12) for what she off-handedly says would be “just a little splash in the water” and “a nuzzle in the sand,” is a lot of crap.

To begin with, dog and cat feces and urine is extremely unhealthy. Any serious ocean scientist, agriculturist, gardener or honest veterinarian will readily explain the dangers of high exposures of the waste to you. Picking up even small quantities of animal feces doesn’t really significantly reduce the serious problems at question. What about the urine? In a year’s time, there must be thousands of gallons deposited. All the so-called “dog beaches” are just parcels of sand ripped off from the public that are so saturated with dog urine, and fecal matter deposits from less-than-responsible animal owners, that they are unsuitable for any realistic human use. No one with any common sense would allow their children to walk or play on a parcel of previously pristine California sandy beach that has been overused for a stinking dog toilet. It is a ridiculous idea that this woman is promoting.

While all the rest of us are progressively working towards reducing overwhelming pollution, environmental damages and public safety (Yes, public safety. Not everyone has mild tempered little Jack Russell terriers. This is greater L.A., remember?). I envision owners of dog kennels and animal hospitals that abound in nearby Westwood, ecstatic that they could run or walk all of their customer’s dogs at the “dog beach” or “dog toilet” as a new premium service to them instead of what they usually do — walk them up and down the alleys of Westwood to the displeasure of all of their non-dog industry neighbors.

Further, a dog, cat or any other creature that a person chooses to keep as a pet is the sole responsibility of that so-called owner, not in any way a community responsibility. If pet owners want a place to run their animals, to create another public animal toilet, they should gather together and purchase a parcel of property of their own as a co-op and trash it out as they please instead of encroaching upon the rest of the community’s world-class pristine beaches.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 17, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061704.pdf?ref=smdp.com)