OC Board of Sups Votes to Allow Dogs Off-Leash at Dog Beach

Huntington Beach, CA The Orange County Board of Supervisors today tentatively agreed to allow dog owners to unleash their pets in an area bordered by Huntington Beach and Newport Beach that is known as Dog Beach.

The ordinance brought by Supervisor Michelle Steel was unanimously approved on first reading. The board will take a final vote on May 10.

About two dozen speakers, most of them supporters of the proposed ordinance, implored the supervisors to let the dogs run free.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer said he checked data over the past year to see if bacteria counts went up near the Santa Ana river mouth or at the dog beach in Huntington Beach near Bolsa Chica. He said the only times he saw any sort of a spike was after rainfall, which is typical everywhere because of runoff.

The frequent visitors to Dog Beach say they police the waste pickups there.

Huntington Beach resident Tamera Godfrey wrote a letter to the supervisors urging support for the ordinance. She said she wanted to be at the board meeting, but was recently diagnosed with cancer.

In her April 20 letter, Godfrey wrote, "I realize having cancer throughout my body and not knowing it until two weeks ago that more than ever, I must rely on the help of my friends. I wish I could tell you how many of my closest friends were made at Dog Beach. Last Sunday, they met in honor of me."

City News Service