Dogs and Politics

By Josh Grossberg

When the hour grew late at Tuesday night's meeting, the Santa Monica
City Council faced a decision of Solomon-like proportions: Should they
let dog owners have speak or should they let those who brought infants
to the city hall cut ahead in line and discuss parking issues.

The Council voted for the babies, but in the end, the dogs had their day
too. That's because the council rebuffed a request by lawyer Roger Jon
Diamond to close the dog park on Main and Pacific in Santa Monica.
Diamond, who has an office across the street from the park, said the
canines have turned the small plot of land into an eyesore with torn-up
grass and a chain link fence installed to keep the dogs from running
away.

"Apparently the park has gone to the dogs in the truest sense of the
word," said Diamond. "I don't believe it was proper to use one of the
nicest parks for dogs. It was inappropriate."

But about a dozen dog owners showed up to urge the council to keep the
park open. However, most of them left before the council got to the
item.

"It's not about dogs, it's about people," said Paul Hellerman. "It
allows people of different walks of life to get together"

Also speaking was Stephanie Speliopoulos, owner of a boxer named Butch
and chairwoman of Santa Monica Dog Owners Group (D.O.G.), a loose-knit
group of residents who mobilize when one of the city's two dog parks is
threatened. (The other park where dogs are allowed to roam off leash is
the, much larger park, Joslyn Park

Instead of having the Main Street park closed to dogs, Speliopoulos said
she wanted to see even more dog parks in Santa Monica, where up until a
few years ago, dogs weren't even allowed in parks on a leash.

As for Diamond's complaint that the dogs tear up the grass, make noise
and smell bad, Speliopoulos noted that the park has recently undergone
several improvements, including replacing the grass with wood chips and
planting vines on the fence.

"There are five or six people who complain, but when they raise an
issue, we have to deal with it," she said.

If Diamond was hoping to find a friendly ear on the council, he was out
of luck. Several council members heartily endorsed the dog park and said
they too would like to see more of them.

"This is truly an important asset to the human element of this city,"
said Councilman Ken Genser. "Anytime you bring people together, you
build a stronger community."

Dog-owning councilman Richard Bloom was absent from the meeting, but
Kevin McKeown said the dog park is a benefit to the city.
"It's too rare of an opportunity," he said. "We should keep what we have
and expand it in the future."

Or as one wag told the council: "If you get rid of the dogs, cats will
move into the neighborhood.