Benefits of Dog Beaches
As proven with the Westminster Dog Park in Venice, which was established August 8, 1998, off-leash areas benefit the community in several ways. In Venice, community benefits have included: raised property values; people moving to Venice to be close to the dog park; a safer neighborhood (the park was previously occupied by drug dealers and gangs, which is the same situation at Dockweiler, by the County's own admission); a sense of community where people can socialize, network and fall in love; and happy, socialized dogs who make better pets and neighbors.
Dog Beach Now (an Alliance of responsible dog owners from Venice, Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades) is requesting that of the 60 miles of beaches in Los Angeles, a one-mile stretch of Dockweiler Beach be designated as an off-leash Dog Beach where people and their dogs can recreate and socialize. Dog Beach Now makes this request on behalf of the approximately 200,000 dog owners in Los Angeles and the nearly 7,500 citizens of Los Angeles who have signed a petition in favor of an off-leash Dog Beach.
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