Malibu veterinarian Dean Graulich “approves of a dog being taken to the beach where permitted.” In fact, they are not permitted anywhere on the beach in Malibu or Los Angeles County: ” A person shall not bring or maintain on any beach a dog or cat.” Title 17.12.280. That includes “private” beaches like Malibu Road, Broad Beach, Colony, Point Dume, Cove Colony, Paradise Cove, Carbon, both below and above mean high tide line.
He goes on to say that he thinks dogs should be allowed to run up and down the beach providing they are under the control of their owners (after citing his own ‘alarming’ example of the man who walked Rottweilers on the beach without a leash). If the dog is not on a leash, it cannot be controlled (and even then, sometimes not). If a dog is anywhere on the beach, even if on a leash (except tied up on one’s own property), it is illegal and subjects the owner to stiff criminal citation and fines, as it should.
Unfortunately, each day there are hundreds of dogs “walked” (actually let loose) on the beaches in Malibu leaving tons of poop and gallons of pee because their owners find the beach a convenient place for their dogs to use as a toilet. They let the tide (if it gets high enough) clean up the beach, adding to the high fecal count as confirmed by Heal the Bay and other ocean water monitoring groups.
They allow barefooted beachgoers and children playing in the sand to ‘encounter’ their dog’s leftovers, sometimes kicking sand over feces to “bury” it (sort of). They endanger others because of dogs’ inherent distrust of strangers as demonstrated when the dogs get into conflicts, or by just plain galloping past or jumping up on those sitting or children playing in the sand. They disregard the birds, seals and other shoreline creatures that flee with fright from the running, chasing, attacking canines. The owners ignore the disturbance of the peace by the loud persistent barking of the dogs or by obedience-beseeching, name-shouting from their owners (Fido! Fido! FIDO!!!). They trespass on public and private property and are a destructive disgrace to the natural shoreline habitat and environment that is so precious and that should be protected and preserved for enjoyment of all citizens, even the native species, not just dogs and their owners.
Why can’t dog owners find some other place for their dogs to dump and walk, like their own properties, or some other designated area, or even the side of a road, not the beach?
Is it because they will then have to pick up their poop and keep them on a leash? In other words, dog owners should take the responsibility for their choice to own an animal, as opposed to letting it loose to disrespect the law, nature and the rights of other citizens.
When someone confronts or protests, the dog owner invariably blames the protester for being “uptight” or “intolerant” or, so sadly and sickly as in the recent San Francisco dog attack death, blame the dead victim as if it was her fault for causing the poor dogs to kill.
Who let the dogs out? Woof! Woof! Who let the dog out? Poop! Poop! Bad owners, that’s who.
Sam Birenbaum