The Tale of a Man, His Dog, and the Long Arm of the Law

Once upon a time--actually, it was Feb. 10--Jonathan Bogner of West Los Angeles went for a walk with his 1-year-old son on his back and his 2-year-old dog, Juliette, at his heels.

As they passed a neighbor’s house, the neighbor asked if Juliette was responsible for the doggie deposit on his lawn, Bogner said.

He denied it and kept walking, only to be surprised upon his return 25 minutes later to find a city of Los Angeles animal control officer demanding the immediate surrender of the white pooch.

The neighbor had reported that the dog was vicious. After arguing with the animal control officer, Bogner says, he declined to turn over the pooch and headed for home. There, he was even more surprised when two LAPD officers arrived a few minutes later and took him away in handcuffs.

The charge: battery against the dogcatcher. Bogner says he never touched the dogcatcher, who--he contends--threatened him with arrest.

“I thought it was absolutely absurd when this man said, ‘If you don’t give me your dog, I’m arresting you and your baby,’ ” said Bogner, who produces children’s videos and parenting programs. “I didn’t touch him. My attorney and I are contending they made up the charge of battery in order to justify the arrest.”

Michael Burns, district supervisor for the animal control department, said Thursday that he could not comment on the case. But at a hearing late last month, a representative of the city attorney’s office decided to drop the charges of battery and walking the dog off her leash.

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POSTHASTE: Tis the season for political junk mail in West Hollywood.

Among the tide of City Council campaign mail, we’ve noticed:

* Bad spelling. Before the “Friends of Sal Guarriello” spent their money, they might have learned to spell his name. A mailer bearing his picture spells it “Guarrillo.” Twice.

* It’s cool to be a nerd. A Jeff Richmond piece includes an on-screen photo from his championship “Jeopardy!” appearance. Over five games, he won $58,302 (the figure’s on the screen) and, the mailer notes, made it to the show’s Tournament of Champions.

* Topless pics! Steve Martin appears in swimming trunks. He’s waist deep in a pool, holding a “Save Our Pool” sign, along with three other people opposing a onetime bid to build a civic center at West Hollywood Park.

* Multiculturalism. Daniel Kovatch appeals to the city’s Russian-immigrant voters by rendering his name and pitch in the Cyrillic alphabet, along with English.

* The Mother of All Mailers. John Heilman’s eight-page piece is really a little book, with glossy photos and more text than a front page of USA Today. Anyone make it to the end?