Should we allow leashed dogs in Redondo parks?
The Recreation & Parks Commission has asked Council to review and change our Pet Policy Municipal Code. We currently do not allow dogs in any parks.
In the NO camp, the reasons cited are:
- Some owners do not clean up after their pets
- Some owners will allow dogs off-leash
- The grass will be unsanitary for children
- Some people have a real fear of dogs
In the YES camp, the reasons cited are:
- Society is changing and more people want to bring their dogs with them.
- If you want a more walkable city, then we need to encourage places to walk to and enjoy.
This topic will come to Council on Feb 18. What’s your opinion?
Here is a video of why Rec & Parks asked for this change:
I’ve noticed that now that doggie bags are available in my neighborhood at the bike path, owners are much more respectful about not leaving waste on sidewalks and lawns. Since everyone carries a cellphone camera it is now possible for neighbors to discretely encourage cleanliness and respect of facilities.
During the city council meeting it was mentioned that over half of the residents in Redondo Beach own pets There are many people who walk in my neighborhood and most of them are accompanied by their pet. Parks are a great destination for encouraging more people to take in this great weather we are blessed with. The article this week in the Beach Reporter says Dogs will be allowed in parks. I only wish Anderson Park was included in the list.
The plants and open green spaces provide sensory stimulation not available on sidewalks where many of my neighbors have posted dogs not welcome signs on their lawns. I anticipate many kids playing in parks are not exposed to inquisitive pets. Removing restrictions can facilitate interactions that may ease prejudice that threaten to divide our communities.
My neighbor hosted a stain glass making party at the Kenoyer Studio this evening. She is thinking of adopting a Shepherd and I told her she should be prepared to walk an additional 9 miles per week.
Dogs are an excuse to meet neighbors and enjoy our neighborhood.
My wife just told me about the “Corgi” lady who lives a few blocks up who smiled at her when she took the dog out. She started a conversation saying that my son who is away at college is such a polite conversationalist and asked how he’s doing.
I don’t want my Grandkids rolling around in animal pee and poop. Redondo Beach has no way to enforce letting dogs on leases. I live near the beach and pick up dog shit everyday in my yard. Letting dogs in our parks will turn our parks into the Esplanade, PISS all over and some SHIT. It will become a health issue subject to lawsuits the City will need to defend.
Ray,
Where do you think stray cats, coyotes, raccoons, and other animals in nature go to the bathroom?
Claire,
Touché Clair
Do you have any concern for your grandkids when they are playing and rolling around on the many playgrounds and sports fields that have had their natural grass replaced with artificial turf that is nicknamed a petri dish of bacteria and germs?
Well said. I agree. I won’t walk on the grass at Dolphin Park which is a giant toilet. I would never take children there.
We have a dog park. Let’s keep our other parks for people.
Allow dogs ON LEASH ONLY in Dominguez Park (but not ballfield/children’s area), Veteran’s Park, and Andersen Park (central, south and north). Add signage and posts with dog bags.
I would restrict dogs from artificial turf, and from sand areas. Rules on leashes and cleaning up after your dog already exist and should cover most objections.
As for a person being afraid of dogs, we cannot let someone’s phobias drive legislation.
I agree that phobias shouldn’t drive legislation, but I think risk management should. Dogs can bite. That behavior is not perfectly predictable. Keeping dogs out of public parks mitigates those risks and also alleviates the legal burden on the city when someone is bitten on city property (since we all know people already bring their dogs to the parks). We are a community with many children and I believe we should consider safety first.
Hate to break it to you, but your grandkids are already rolling around in cat, skunk, raccoon, coyote pee and poop.
Yep
Leashes a must! NO FLEXI LEASHS!!! Only Max 6ft leash. Happens all the time people letting dogs run up to me ( I have two Jack Russell Terriers. ) and say ,my dogs friendly! As their leash wraps around my leg ,etc. they need to be restricted! They should not be allowed in areas of children playgrounds, or soccer,baseball etc areas.
I can barely go for a walk in my neighborhood because of my fear of dogs. I am fearful that someone’s dog will get out of its yard and attack me. This fear is not unfounded as I have been bitten twice and attacked 2 other times by dogs, including once even when the dog was on a leash. people already take their dogs to parks and let them run off-leash and making it legal will just give even more people license to allow their dogs to run in parks off-leash. if dogs are allowed, maybe the consequence of having your dog on a leash longer than 6 feet or off-leash should be immediate impoundment of the dog and a required overnight stay in a dog shelter.
The reason we have dog parks are so that those who have pets have a green area to exercise their pets. Not everyone has pets and they deserve a pet free green area as well. Fine with designating another park as a dog park, but leave some parks pet free for those who choose not to be around pets.
As a responsible dog owner, I would say yes, except for the playground areas. But I do have concerns that the same inconsiderate dog owners that don’t pick up their dogs waste off of the sidewalks and walkways now will be just as bad in the grass at parks, only this time it won’t be visible until someone steps in it. If my only choice is yes or no, I have to vote no for now. Maybe a modified law?? Hermosa Valley Park works. No dogs in playground area or Soccer field, but on on paths or areas away from play areas. On leash, of course!
I live on Bataan, a block from Anderson Park. Dog owners in the area are very responsible. There is no reason to believe they would act any differently if allowed in the park. Dogs are allowed in restaurant patios, stores, airplanes, etc these days. The current ban on dogs in our parks is outdated. They should be allowed if on leash.
I am so sick of dog pee and poo lining our streets. I cannot let my daughter touch any sidewalk grass or plants because I can smell the pee wafting in the air from hundreds of dogs. Not a day goes by I don’t see the left over poo scraped in the sidewalks. I like dogs but we are a cramped city, make your dogs use the bathroom in their OWN HOUSE!
Owners should be required to carry a water bottle and rinse down pee and poo everytime their dogs use the bathroom in our street.
I’m also so sick of owners allowing their dogs to roam off leash in front of their houses and jump on passerbyers. Abide by the law, don’t be rude, be a good neighbor. Nobody wants your dog jumping on them. And most of all, we don’t want their pee and poo everywhere!
As a parent who uses the parks almost daily, having dogs at these parks would severely limit my enjoyment and use of them. Even very well trained dogs can be unpredictable – especially with children – and this feels like such a liability that the city would be creating. Me, my husband, my you g kids and my dogs have all been bitten by dogs whose owners say “I am SO SORRY! He’s NEVER done anything like that before!” I love dogs as much as my neighbors, but they are personal companions for you to enjoy at your own risk in your own space. Please don’t allow them in public parks that aren’t specifically designated for dogs. It’s too much risk, especially our younger residents.
I’m a dog owner and I make sure I pick up after my dog. I also keep them from jumping on people. Unfortunately not all dog owners are respectful, we have a guy in the neighborhood with two dogs and he walks the little one on a lease but let’s his pit bull, run off the lease into peoples yards. I like pit bulls especially trained ones, which his is, but why would he allow this, what if the dog gets ahold of someones cat? It’s against the law and when his dog runs to another yard is he really picking up after his dog, No!
So because of people like him that don’t respect the law or others, other dog owners have to follow more stringent rules. Sadly, I would say no to dogs in the park unless there is a designated dog park. It would be great if RB could designate another dog park in North Redondo, maybe on the bike path area (in a fenced area so it doesn’t disrupt the bikers). So for now I would say no to dogs in the park.
Segregation of dogs into one small area has only created a single place for uncontrolled interaction among dogs. With no place else to go, people take their dogs to parks at night or odd hours in hopes of not getting caught. By getting well-controlled dogs back among everyone else, we have the ability to change behavior. I’d be for dogs in certain parks on leash, dogs on certain areas off leash but under voice control for training purposes, and keep some places without dog access. It works in New York City, it works in other cities, so why not here? And let us all hold the bad owners accountable for their actions rather than punish everyone.
Society has changed. Many studies that millennials have delayed having kids, many getting dogs instead. The ones who can afford homes are probably dual income no kids one dog , so becoming more dog friendly city will attract buyers (probably push out the dog-hating boomers). Millennial voters will probably turn out for silly things like dog friendly parks.
YES, please allow dogs at parks on leashes. Please have doggie bags as well to make it easy and no excuses for missed dog poo clean up. Redondo beach is in the stone age on this issue. I cannot think of one city that does not allow dogs in their parks. Many, many beautiful and upscale cities allow dogs. The liability of a dog bite is with the owner not the city, so don’t let lawsuits and fear mongering scare you. This will also alleviate the number of dogs on Esplanade (which really should have some greenery not all cement so dogs can do their business). People literally have no place to walk their dogs. And just remember one thing, most diseases and illness are from human to human not dogs to humans so don’t let the cleanliness factor scare you either. Remember people spit, snot, sneeze, pee, vomit and unfortunately sometimes even poo in the parks, so parks should not be expected to be sterile environments, everyone should use common sense. I would say 95% of Redondo Beach dog owners are responsible with their dogs and their poo. Don’t let the 5% ruin it for everybody, just punish the 5% with tickets etc.
Did the park list on the survey have a “None of the Above” option?
Dogs are unpredictable. They bite and they scratch. They are territorial.
Having handled insurance claims for 41 years one never knows what will set a dog off. I have handled small bites, maulings, and dog vs. dog claims (in which their owner ends up getting bit.) Many people have a fear of dogs from incidents in their childhood. The dogs need to be in an environment controlled by an owner. I walk down on the bike path on the Esplanade, rather than up top, in order to avoid the dogs. People walk with 3 dogs on leashes and the leashes end up going in opposite directions around a walker. Children should not have to worry about dog poop when they are playing in the park. The park should be for children. Dogs have a dog park where the kids do not play.
Appreciate the review of this policy! We relocated to Redondo Beach from San Francisco two years ago and were quite surprised by sharp difference in perspectives towards dogs and public park use between the two cities. Dogs were ubiquitous in San Francisco so children learned at an early age the proper way to approach dogs in public spaces. Dog owners were also very good at training their dogs on how to behave when in public, open spaces where the risks for misbehavior are much higher than at an enclosed dog park. I suspect it will take some time for Redondo Beach residents to shift their perspectives. Increasing the number of parks that allow leashed dogs is right step towards peaceful coexistence. Please also consider allotting a small section of parks or trails for off-leashed dogs under voice control. This will encourage proper training beyond the open play sessions at current enclosed dog park.
I lived in San Francisco for the past 10 years as well, as we kept up our residence in Redondo Beach. The other issue that I am working on is trying to foster the bike culture that I had grown accustomed to. I rarely drove my car because it took as much time to find a parking space as it took for me to ride my bike to the grocery store. I am hoping that somehow we can attract enough people in my neighborhood to bike to the market and schools so that drivers grow accustomed to respecting bike rider’s right to travel on our streets.
We have pets in our home and understand. Thing is, based on my experience, I’m certain there will be dog owners who unleash their pets, creating issues as stated in other comments. The owners know no one will do anything about it unless something bad happens.
Not sure how well it will work but there is an ap called Access Redondo that can be used to request the city’s attention to issues that affect our community. I am hoping that irresponsible dog owners could be identified by those who are affected and that the video will provide sufficient evidence to eradicate this problem.
I think they should sell a license to have a dog in the park. The license fee would help pay for a new poop patrol division within the police department.
The new poop patrol would look for folks that don’t clean up after their pets and/or don’t have a license for a pet in the park.
Violators of the license requirement would be cited and pay a fine. Violators that do not clean-up would be sentenced to 100 hours of community service cleaning up dog poop in the parks.
It would be great if the city adopted a one time licensing program where they charge owners $40 for a metal tag with the city logo with the license number for the pet and the phone number of the owner. These tags are available for a similar price at pet stores. But the tag could support the salary of a city official who would be responsible for reuniting pets who escape from unsecured gates with their owners.
Allow all leashed dogs in any park. Please have doggie bags available and clear signage. Owners who don’t pick up dyer their pets should be fined.
i am so glad the council is addressing this. I have always thought that Redondo should allow dogs o leash in the parks. There are a multitude of condos and townhomes in Redondo, and thus, the parks are our opportunity to get our dogs some exercise and enjoy the beautiful walking city that we have as our own backyard. We need to be able to walk from our front doors and exercise ourselves and our dogs, and not have to get in the car to drive to the dog park, which closes at sundown. Thank you for addressing this issue. Our dogs are our family.
i am so glad the council is addressing this. I have always thought that Redondo should allow dogs on leash in the parks. There are a multitude of condos and townhomes in Redondo, and thus, the parks are our opportunity to get our dogs some exercise and enjoy the beautiful walking city that we have as our own backyard. We need to be able to walk from our front doors and exercise ourselves and our dogs, and not have to get in the car to drive to the dog park, which closes at sundown. Thank you for addressing this issue. Our dogs are our family.
I’d prefer that one or two parks be made into dog parks, but certainly not all of them. People who have dogs in this area know that there are lots of limitations on where they can walk their dogs and how they can walk them. I already see lots of people walking their dogs on my street without any leash. Many people who frequent parks are scared of dogs running loose. I think we should favor people and kids over dogs. Making one or two parks into dog parks would solve many of the problems.
I find it interesting. When someone commented that allowing dogs in parks would lead to an increase in feces, nobody disagreed. Let that sink in. To say that wild animals already relieve themselves is ridiculous. That does not make it okay to allow an increase in dog excrement in parks. Yes, wild animals do relieve themselves in parks. Have you seen skunk, raccoon, or possum poop? It is tiny and I almost never see any. Why? Because those animals are vulnerable when they go potty and do it in quiet, secluded places. Dog excrement is everywhere and usually in very close proximity to where people are. I would like to see stiffer fines for animal citations that escalate with each additional citation, $250, $500, $1k. I can’t even count how many times I’ve caught people not picking up after their pet. There’s often an excuse about how their pet already went and have no more bags. Make a law stating you must have bags if your dog is in public. Why should the city have to provide bags? Dog owners have become lazy and entitled. If it’s your pet take care of it.