“Who let the dogs out?” The Santa Cruz city council, of course. At its weekly meeting on Tuesday, the council voted 4-2 to lift the 30-year ban on dogs downtown on a three-month trial basis. A final reading of the new ordinance is scheduled for July 26, and the ban will be lifted 30 days later.
Councilmember Tony Madrigal was a vocal advocate of lifting the ban, saying that it would promote business in the downtown area. He had the support of many local business owners, who said that dog lovers preferred to make the trek to Los Gatos or even Carmel to shop, since those towns are considered dog-friendly.
There will, of course, be restrictions on dogs even if the ban is lifted. Dogs will only be allowed during daylight hours, and then only if they are leashed and under the direct supervision of an owner. All dogs must be licensed and vaccinated. They may not be used in panhandling. Certainly, owners will be expected to clean up after their pets and “scoop the poop.”
The two dissensions were voiced by Vice Mayor Don Lane and Councilwoman Katherine Beiers. But Lane was not opposed to the idea behind lifting the ban. He was more concerned about the panhandling restriction, saying that it was unnecessary, given the city’s already aggressive approach to panhandling. Noting that some of the dogs could belong to homeless people, he said, “I believe poor people should be included in the experiment.”
The other concern expressed by city council is the cost of lifting the ban. Signage saying “No dogs” will have to be replaced, and there is still the issue of clean-up, despite the “scoop the poop” restriction. To deal with the latter concern, local dog advocates have already offered to supply 5,000 biodegradable bags and disposal stations along Pacific Avenue. Read more at Santa Cruz Sentinel and KION.
