Top official: Off-leash dog parks 'very positive':
Supporters say self-policing policy is working,
but opponents still raise safety concerns
By J.M. BROWN
Posted:08/09/2010 01:30:59 AM PDT
Dog owners who regularly use Frederick Street Park gather at the off-leach... (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)
SANTA CRUZ -- Two years after the City Council approved four new off-leash dog sites, a top city parks official says the experiment has been successful thanks to a strong ethic of self-policing among regular users.
"It's been a very positive experience," said parks superintendent Steve Hammack. "They have literally become park patrol and are really focused on making sure this works."
In July 2008, the city began allowing dogs off leash from sunrise to sunset in designated areas inside Grant Street Park, Frederick Street Park, Ocean View Park and a vacant lot near the intersection of Pacheco Avenue and Prospect Heights. The council did not set a deadline for reviewing the decision, and in the absence of any serious incidents, Hammack says he sees know reason to change things.
Dogs are already allowed off leash in parts of DeLaveaga Park, University Terrace Park and Mitchell's Cove Beach, but Hammack said the city wants to outfit as many other parks as possible with off-leash areas.
Supporters say they carefully monitor the behavior of dogs and their owners, but opponents say people rarely control their animals, routinely fail to pick up feces and create a lot of noise.
Mayor Mike Rotkin said he has heard about a couple of incidents, including dog bites. He expects the council will take a look at the issue in the next six months.
"It's an experiment still in progress," he said. "We're not done with it."
Public access for dogs
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is a perennial debate in Santa Cruz, where Lighthouse Field and the adjoining Its Beach have been centers of controversy. Dogs were allowed to roam the two sites off leash for years until the state resumed control from the city in 2007. The Downtown Association board voted earlier this year to allow dogs on leashes along Pacific Avenue, but the merchants' group has yet to ask the city to drop a ban.
Todd Stosuy, supervising field manager for the county's Animal Services Authority, said no problems, including dog bites or attacks, have been reported at the new off-leash sites since 2008. Hammack said he also has not heard of any serious incidents, though there have been noise complaints at Frederick Street Park.
"There definitely could be a dog bite or dog attacks that we don't find out about," Stosuy said, adding that dog owners are generally good about following rules. "They do the best they can to be law abiding and as responsible as possible."
Clinton Street resident Peg Guerrieri, who helped to form the Frederick Street Park Sustainable Off-Leash Dog Area Alliance, said she and 85 other local dog owners on an e-mail list of frequent users work together to keep it safe. Dog owners created a flier available at the park that outlines good behavior, and are working with the Parks and Recreation Department to post bigger signs containing the rules.
"Our vision perceives healthy, well-socialized dogs, properly managed by responsible dog owners, enjoying the freedom to run and play, interacting safely and appropriately with people and other dogs," Guerrieri wrote in an e-mail. "Hopefully, everyone sees that changing a culture to one that is more dog friendly takes time and ongoing education of the public. We are hopeful to see our entire park thrive for everyone."
Two dog owners who live on the edge of the park said they initially supported the off-leash zone but now believe it was a mistake, even though the off-leash alliance leaders are responsive to complaints. The two women, who declined to give their names, said dogs often run amok and that a young girl was bitten several months ago -- a charge authorities and Guerrieri could not verify.
Kelly Stanley, 21, and boyfriend Matt Hart, 20, who live across the street, say they haven't had any negative experiences at the park. They use the it twice daily to exercise their 10-week-old Labradoodle, Iorek, and 1½-year-old German shepherd and kelpie mix, Niko.
"I've never seen anyone leave dog stuff on the ground," Stanley said. "Every dog comes when they're called."
Westside residents Brendan and Christine Miele said they don't fear bringing their children, 2½-year-old Aiden and 3-month-old Cooper, to dog parks. The couple used to walk their own pooch at Its Beach and now visit dog runs at University Terrace or in Aptos instead.
"It all comes down to good owners," Brendan Miele said during the family's first visit to Frederick Street Park last week. "If people are on top of their dogs, it's no problem."
Amelia Summitt, a behavior counselor with the Animal Services Authority, said dog parks improve the health of canines.
"For dogs to get exercise and socialize in really constructive ways makes for better and happier dogs," she said. "The more dogs are sequestered and undersocialized, the more you're going to have incidents of aggression."
But Peggy Pollard, one of three residents who sued the city in 2005 over the unofficial off-leash park at Lighthouse Field, said dogs running freely jeopardizes the safety of children and the elderly. Unattended waste poses health risks too, she said.
"If there are big numbers of dogs, it keeps other people out," she said. "It's not safe, people do get bit and it's not hygienic."
Off-leash dog park rules
Dogs must be licensed and spayed or neutered unless the owner has obtained an unaltered animal certificate.
Dogs must be in sight and under voice control at all times.
Owners must observe the boundaries of off-leash areas.
Owners must pick up dog defecation.
Aggressive behavior must be stopped immediately.
No digging.
Female dogs in heat are not allowed.
Off-leash dog parks
The city allows dogs off-leash in designated zones within the following parks from sunrise to sunset, with the exception of the beach, where the permitted times are before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.
DeLaveaga Park: Service road into Lower DeLaveaga Park. Take Market Street past Grunewald Court.
Frederick Street Park: 168 Frederick St.
Grant Street Park: 180 Grant St.
Mitchell's Cove Beach: West Cliff Drive at Almar Avenue.
Pacheco Avenue: Near intersection of Pacheco Avenue and Prospect Heights.
Ocean View Park: 102 Ocean View Ave.
University Terrace Park: Nobel Drive and Meder Street.