Harsh Pet Laws

I recently moved to San Diego. Although much of what I have experienced so far is a pleasure, I am outraged at the inappropriate, outdated animal laws that are vehemently adhered to and enforced by the San Diego County Department of Animal Control.

Just a few days ago, I spent a morning in the San Diego Municipal Court. I sat in disbelief at the absurd waste of taxpayers’ money that was being spent on innumerable man hours, all in the ridiculous pursuit of catching little Fifi or Rover in the wrong place at the wrong time.

In an age when terrorists threaten us, drugs and crime are rampant, people are homeless and starving, there are not enough police officers to go around, San Diego’s emphasis, with our financing, is on the dog catcher!

More so than any other city where I have lived, San Diego’s priority is to see that each and every one of the dog laws dating back to 1946 (or so I am told), are strictly enforced.

In the courtroom waiting to be tried was a lady who was fined because she was 15 minutes early walking her dogs on the beach (instead of the stated 6 p.m., she was there at 5:45 p.m.). She was fined over $300! Another lady’s toddler opened the front door of her home and the family dog ran out. She ran after it but magically the Animal Control people appeared first and fined her for not having her dog on a leash. I myself was fined half a block from my home in a residential area while my obedience-trained toy poodle was heeling by my side. One of my citations was because I had not yet received my San Diego dog license, which had been applied for but not yet mailed back to me. And what was the amount of my citation . . . $212! Talk about the punishment not fitting the crime!

Why is San Diego spending so much of our money on these mostly innocent, non-threatening petty pet problems?

I believe that every dog owner must be responsible and clean up after their pet. Huge fines for not obeying that simple courtesy are reasonable. In 1946 when these laws were written, there were no obedience schools for pets. Now everyone I know has their dogs trained. My dog is obedience trained with both hand and voice commands, curb trained, off-leash heel trained and socializes playfully with both people and other pets. I am 100% confident that she poses no threat to children, adults or other animals. I know many people whose dogs are just as obedient and reliable. Why must we be penalized because a few people are not as conscientious?

SHERRY CASH

San Diego