Unleash the Beach

in Santa Monica !  

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Three ways to help: 
1.Contact us to let us know you're on the team!
2.  Make a donation  
3. Become a volunteer!

RALLY  and PHOTOS!

On Saturday, July 31, 2004, we staged our first public demonstration of support for an off-leash dog area on Santa Monica Beach.

Our rally was generously sponsored by Anthony Hitt's Westside Team, DBL Realtors

Click here to see photos from the rally.

Read the Press Release

Sponsors Page

 


Our site and our project are a work in progress. As we grow, we'll be adding lots of useful information of especial interest to the pet owner/guardians in our community, and to animal lovers everywhere.

Feel free to explore this site and our links, and contact us with your thoughts on building our sense of community with all living beings and improving the quality of our lives through our love of our dogs, our glorious coastline, and each other.

 


Unleash the Beach - Kickoff Press Release June 12, 2004


 

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The kickoff meeting of Unleash the Beach was held on Saturday, June 12, 2004 in the Community Room at Joslyn Park. Mayor pro tem Kevin McKeown attended and kindly expressed his support.


What do the dogs have to say?

See for yourself...


Documentation & Notes:

1-   Olson, Betty, PhD, Senior Scientist -  Review of Results of a Limited Assessment of the Dog Zone, etc. “Hence the dog zone may be no better than the restricted area (for fecal coliforms), but it also appears to be no worse.” p. 3 and also see Tech Report Table 3.  “Differences for both of these constituents (ammonia nitrogen and nitrate) between the dog zone and restricted zone were not statistically significant.”  p. 4

There were occasional tests that came in with detectable coliform numbers (though on retest the numbers were normal), but the report the scientists concluded: Olson - p.3 “ The reason may be the impact of birds on the shoreline.”

Peters, Steve, Water Quality Specialist, County of Santa Cruz, “Two other immediately recognizable sources are the rock that sea lions use and a rock that is used by seabirds such as cormorants and seagulls.  Both are these sights are within a half-mile and up-current.

Tetra Tech Report p. 4 - “Animal waste sources can be less important from a public health standpoint, because most animal pathogens do not cause disease in humans.”

“Dog urine is considered to be sterile.”

2    Hester, Phil, Director of Parks, Recreation and Marine “Based on Animal Control records, there has been no dog bite (to humans) reported at the Dog Zone.”

Hester also noted that over the three month pilot, there were only a dozen incidents at all reported where, say, a dog chased a jogger or crossed the path.  Given the number of users, this is extraordinary.

Positive benefits such as the dramatic reduction of human waste and the attendant bird waste from scavengers (both of which have been shown to transmit disease) by dog beach volunteer clean-ups actually improve a beach.  Other benefits, such as personal safety from human malfeasance when dogs are present, should not be forgotten when weighing the total impact of a dog beach.

The factual nature of these reports reveals that the vehement rejection of the very idea of dog parks stems from an unreasonable fear of dogs.  In this regard, the concern that aggressive dogs are a threat to people and other dogs, is unfounded, given that in all existing 59 dog beaches in the State of California, there have been no issues of liability to any municipalities or the state from dog issues.  Moreover, if an altercation were to arise, which would be rare, it is taken care of among the dog guardians.  Indeed, this is borne out by the experiences in the SM dog parks.

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THANKS TO ALL
WHO VOTED!

We're awaiting the results. Unleash the Beach may win $10K to fund its efforts (participating is free to you):

Click here

Advanta Ideablob is sponsoring this contest and UTB is in the finals -- with a top rating. Just by voting, you may have put us over the top to win some badly needed operating capital.


Santa Monica Passes Dog Beach Resolution

On Feb. 28  the SM City Council voted to support a dog beach resolution. They voted to support AB 359, the Assembly bill which seeks to establish a pilot dog beach at Dockweiler, and to request that Santa Monica be included on the bill.

Go Team!  Hurray for Mayor Holbrook, Mayor Pro Tem Shriver, Councilman McKeown and Councilman Katz who passed this resolution for us!!!

A BIG SHOUT OUT  to all the hard working volunteers who came to the past 2 City Council meetings to make this happen!!!  AND ALL who also wrote letters of support!!!  As well as all in the past year and a half who have done research and attended meetings!!  It all has helped get us to this point...

This has been a big step forward towards getting the dog beach.

Now we need to make sure we have the approval of our two representatives in the state:  Senator Sheila Kuehl and Assemblymember Fran Pavley.  Our City Staff will be sending them the resolution.  
         and
We need Assemblymember Ted Lieu to include our SM beach on his Dockweiler bill--- which will only happen 1) when he gets a positive report back from the California Research Bureau about the environmental studies at other dog beaches (in about 2 weeks) and 2) gets the go-ahead from Sheila Kuehl and Fran Pavley that they approve of a pilot dog beach in their district (SM).

What you can do: 

Write letters to Senator Kuehl and Assemblymember Pavley and tell them why we need a dog beach in SM.   Be sure to mention that we will be responsible for keeping it clean and will make sure that it's the cleanest part of the beach.  Mention if you have volunteered to be a beach monitor.

Write a letter to Assemblyman Lieu and tell him why it is better to have 2 dog beaches than one--how they will each take away impacts of heavy traffic from the other, and he will have our undying devotion.   IF YOU DON'T live in Santa Monica proper, you might be in his district:   El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, Mar Vista, Marina Del Rey, Playa Del Rey, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Venice, Westchester and parts of West Los Angeles.  So write to him as his CONSTITUENT and tell him it will be more convenient for you to have both beaches open.
 

Here is a part of a letter UTB sent to Sacramento.  You can use the language or put in your own words and thoughts:

 

We dog owners and advocates are also environmentalists.  We have researched other dog beaches in California and found there are no negative environmental impacts.  Our desire is to IMPROVE the condition of the beach. In that light, we propose to fundraise to have the Wilshire storm drain professionally cleaned more often during the year.  This would definitely improve the water quality at and in the area of the dog zone.  100 dog owners who have committed themselves to one hour per week of cleaning and monitoring the sand during the pilot program.  To help them, a doggy poop scoop organization has volunteered their services as well.


In addition to these proposals, we have also worked diligently and developed several others which would enhance the safety and liability issues which sometimes are brought up.  Our City Council agrees that we deserve a chance to try to make it work.

So we are asking your help.  As you know, you will be receiving a letter from our City Council, and we ask you to please support their resolution.  When Ted Lieu takes up AB 359 anew, (which we have faith that he will), he will be looking at the Santa Monica amendment and inquiring whether or not it is favored in our own district.  We ask that Fran Pavley and Sheila Khuel both agree to include the Santa Monica pilot and to pass the bill, allowing dog lovers to prove that we can be a viable part of beach improvement.

 


The Ball's in Play


Stay in touch! Send donations through the website if you can! Let us know your brilliant ideas and how you can help!


UTB Executive Summary
 

UTB Questionnaire Summary
[Press Release]



[More Photos]

Zukie says:
Oh, don't you LOOOOVE those cute folks on the City Council! Thank you, thank you for starting the ball rolling on the Dog Beach Pilot Program.

We're getting. Will you, puleeeeeeeeze help...

Help Sponsor Unleash the Beach!

P.S. Just a small part, over by the storm drain? People usually stay away from there, but what a perfect spot to fetch a soggy ball from the surf!

 

 Working Dogs Deserve a Break in the Breakers!


Who we are...

Unleash the Beach is a grass-roots community organization which now encompasses Santa Monica Dog Owners Group.  We are being represented by the law firm of Loeb and Loeb for our 501c3 filing. We are part of the Dog Beach Now Alliance, affiliated with like-minded organizations in our sister cities--FREEPLAY in Venice and PaliDog in Pacific Palisades.

What we're about...

There are more than 5,000 dog owner/guardians who choose to live near the ocean in the City of Santa Monica, California. In the belief that our dogs help us to be a community--to interact as friends and neighbors--our mission is to establish an off-leash dog zone on the beach where we can recreate and socialize together with our dogs.

What are the issues?

Read 10 "Mistaken Assumptions" and Facts about Dog Beaches.

Some of our neighbors have expressed concerns, including questions about the impact on water quality, and since we're environmentalists, too, we're very serious about addressing that. But the fact is, studies of other dog-designated beaches elsewhere in California have shown that there are no adverse environmental impacts.

Other legitimate concerns about the cleanliness and safety of dog-designated areas can be resolved based on real-world experience at existing off-leash zones. For example...

Neighboring cities Long Beach and Huntington Beach already have highly successful, well attended dog beach areas--frequented every day of the year by responsible owner/guardians and their ecstatic canine friends. We appreciate having the support and wise counsel of successful advocates like Justin Rudd of Haute Dog in Long Beach and Martin Senat, President of Huntington Dog Beach.

San Diego is noted for having four outstanding dog-designated areas, including an impressive expanse in Ocean Beach. San Francisco has no less than 13 such areas. Santa Barbara also has a wonderful stretch of beach where dogs can play.

Until Haute Dog lobbied for and won the establishment of the Long Beach Dog Zone, Los Angeles County was the only coastal county in California without dog-designated areas on its beaches.

We expect a portion of Dockweiler Beach in El Segundo to be open for off-leash, supervised dogs--all because of the diligent efforts of Daryl Barnett and FREEPLAY, assisted by our dear friend, the late Mike Gordon, former mayor of El Segundo and California State Assemblyman.

We want to bring the same recreational amenity to a portion of Santa Monica Beach. Please contact us at Unleash the Beach to express your support (or your concerns).

Please join us in supporting the establishment of a supervised off-leash area on Santa Monica Beach.

Become an Angel Sponsor. Click here.

And whatever your questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at Unleash the Beach.

 


Refutation of Supt. Ron Shafer's Arguments Against Dog Beaches

April 29, 2005

THE FOLLOWING IS A RESPONSE FROM MEMBERS OF UNLEASH THE BEACH TO THE RON SCHAFER LETTER DATED MARCH 8, 2005 TO ELAINE POLACHEK, CITY OF SANTA MONICA.

Mr. Schafer’s letter asserts that the “California State Parks does not support an off-leash dog area at Santa Monica Beach”.  To this we say, what of the Huntington Dog Beach, the Lighthouse Dog Beach, the Point Isabel Dog Beach which are all on state lands and allow off leash recreation.  Why is Santa Monica to be deprived of an amenity clearly enjoyed by thousands of Californians in other regions?  Especially when we have organized a large group of responsible dog owners/guardians (over 2500) who have been demonstrating for eleven months that we are ready and willing to support this in every way.

 Mr. Schafer states that his mission is to “protect natural and cultural resources and provide opportunities for high quality outdoor recreation that should not affect the resources nor the recreational experience of others”.  The Unleash The Beach proposal for a well-monitored pilot program will do both.  We are environmentally concerned and have gone before the SM Environmental Task Force three times.  Even though it was reviewed with  tough scrutiny, the proposal still succeeded in winning the support of the overwhelming majority of the Task Force members.  Susan Mearns’ proposal to support the dog beach pilot program as long as we provide water monitoring, adequate bags and trash receptacles, fiscal support and no significant impacts to any animal life were considered fair and reasonable by the scientists and other concerned environmentalists on the committee.

Therefore, we would like to address Mr. Schafer’s particular concerns as we had researched and presented for our city representatives.

 First, the snowy plover:  He mentions that Santa Monica State Beach is a habitat for this federally listed threatened species. Current research shows that zero to 18 birds have been observed wintering on our beaches between lifeguard stands 2 and 6 during the months of November through April.

 The 1996 National Park Service study of Ocean Beach in San Francisco indicated disturbance of the Snowy Plover by humans and/or dogs occurred when they approached within 50 feet of the plover.  We have seriously considered this factor and want to help protect the Snowy Plover.  As evidence of this, it is important to note that the proposed location for the dog beach is approximately ½ mile or approximately 5 city blocks from the identified wintering site of the plover.  We are confident that the snowy plover will remain undisturbed by dogs using the dog beach at the proposed location.

 Mr. Shafer states that “dogs are considered predators by shorebirds including western snowy plovers.” The current primary threats to the Western Snowy Plover on our beaches include; people, crows, gulls, shrikes, kite flying, fireworks, mechanized sand raking, and pollution such as trash left on the beach.  Crows, ravens and shrikes are the natural predators of the Snowy Plover. No current studies have found dogs to be predators of the Snowy Plover.

Mr. Schafer’s letter states that the effect of the dog beach on “shorebirds…could result in an enormous fiscal and/or legal impact to the City of Santa Monica.  For example at Oceano Dunes State Recreation Area, State Parks is required by the federal and state regulatory agencies to create management strategies that cost DPR approximately, [sic] $500,000 annually.” 

It is inappropriate and misleading to compare Oceano Dunes to the dog beach.  Oceano Dunes is comprised of nearly 4,000 acres and 1,500 of those acres are open to off-road vehicular traffic and camping.  Indeed, the DPR itself has stated that the “carrying capacity” of Oceano Dunes is 4,300 off-road vehicles per day.  See Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area Status Report dated June 13, 2000.  Moreover, administration and management of Oceano Dunes requires compliance with erosion control standards, staffed entrance kiosks, placement of fencing along portions of the perimeter of the 4,000 acres and around isolated vegetation “islands” and wetlands in the dunes, revegetation of areas impacted by off-road vehicular traffic, removing vehicular motor fluids contamination, conducting various impact studies related to vehicular traffic and maintaining a retro photo baseline archive.  None of the foregoing costs will be applicable to the dog park, which simply involves allowing dogs off leash on 1/10 of a mile of beach, which area will be maintained by our privately funded organization.  Accordingly, any reference to Oceano Dunes is irrelevant except to reveal that Mr. Schafer’s letter is not wholly truthful.

Next, Mr. Schafer uses Huntington Dog Beach as a model to support his arguments against a dog beach in Santa Monica, based on issues of “public safety.”  One of our members drove to Huntington Beach and visited with the Community Services Director, Ron Hagan.  According to him there has been a decrease in the number of calls for service from police and marine safety responding to dog complaints.  Staff estimates that approximately 90 percent of the users of dog beach obey the rules and regulations and are courteous to other beach users.  She also went to the Huntington Beach Police Department and obtained a list of citations given at Huntington Dog Beach from 12/06/03 to 4/06/05.   Out of the multitude of citations given, only two are directly involving animals, one being cruelty to animals on 2/16/05 and the other involving a dead animal on 3/06/04.

This research is backed up by the statements of Martin Senat, President and Founder of the Huntington Dog Beach Preservation Society who states that “their representatives are complimented by both lifeguards and police” as they work closely with them.  Dog beach is “probably the cleanest one mile beach and water in HB out of the 8 ½ mile stretch, and in our presentation to the Commission and with expert advice, we showed evidence that the environment is not affected.”

Mr. Schafer’s letter says “there is concern for the probable interaction between dogs and stranded marine life.” We have contacted several marine mammal rescue groups and all express similar sentiment to those of Joe Cordaro of the National Marine Fisheries Services.  He said there is no objection to unleashed dogs on the beach, as long as pet owners show responsibility to prevent interaction between the dogs and a stranded sea lion or seal.  He agrees that our dog guardians could help educate pet owners and could contact SM animal control in the event of a stranded marine mammal.  We could also incorporate appropriate information in our signage and help educate the public.

Mr. Schafer says, “Off leash dog use is viewed as a local recreational need.” And yet pristine dog beaches like the one in Carmel, and also Huntington Beach can supply statistics showing the improvement in business as the cities are visited by dog enthusiasts from around the state.  We know we have a very popular beach in summer.  The one tenth mile we are proposing is the least popular area as the parking lot adjacent is never full, according to the manager of the adjoining Perry’s Food Stand.  We would be willing to discuss possibly closing the beach on holidays and maybe weekends in the summer.  In the winter months, the area is almost totally deserted now. We would be enhancing the use of our natural resources.

The health and safety issues as they relate to dog feces and dog urine are brought up in Mr. Schafer’s letter and also cited as objections by Jonathan Bishop of the California Water Board, Walt Dougher of the Beach Commission, and Alan Reed of Surfrider Foundation.  These concerns are often brought up and yet they are unsubstantiated in the studies done at other dog beaches.

The literature is consistent on two points:

Dog waste does not adversely impact the health conditions of beaches in any measurable way.  In fact, the hypothesized objections to dog parks in worst case scenario projections (such as pollution, disease, risks of injury and bites) have been demonstrated by statistics to be nonexistent or, at most, on a par with the risks of other human activities in public places.1   Moreover, off-leash areas, as opposed to on-leash parks have even fewer incidents.2

Thank you for taking the time to look at the facts.  We have spent many hours compiling these, and in addition to dozens of dog lovers who have helped research early on, the latest round of response has been particularly helped by the direct efforts of : Gary Cadish, Susan DeRende, Bruce Favish, Risa Freeman, Elaine Gervasi, Mary Hubbel, Alan Krugel, Ian Landgreen, Joy Oaks, and Georja Umano.

<--See Documentation & Notes in Column 1

Copyright © 2004, 2005 Georja Umano Jones for Unleash the Beach
Mailing address: Unleash the Beach, P.O. Box 328, Santa Monica, CA 90406  Web authoring by La Puerta Productions

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