Dogs Are Crazy About Their Parks, People Remain Divided, Cranky

Carolanne Sudderth
Mirror Staff Writer

Santa Monica Dog Parks. Is everybody happy? No.

Officer Darcy Shepherd kneels down to chuck a venerable blond cocker under his well-rounded belly. “What’s going on, Fred? You got a cantaloupe in there, Fred?” she coos.

Shepherd is the animal control officer at the Joslyn (Dog) Park. She obviously loves her work. She picks up a long-haired dachshund, holds it in front of her and looks at it face-to-face and tosses it over her shoulder close to her close cropped curls, as she whispers inaudible somethings, in its long feathery ears. The doxie’s tail wags like a clock pendulum.

“It‘s easier to remember the dogs’ names than it is the owners'"In the years since it went to the dogs, Joslyn has brought people together. Dog owners gather in small groups or lounge on benches in the shade as their dogs kick up dust, touch noses, sniff as and where necessary and chase each other around the park.It has also driven people apart.

In a letter to the Santa Monica City Council dated May 21, 1999, Attorney Roger Jon Diamond asked the that parks be given back to the people. He cited staff reports for their meeting of November 28, 1995 and Item 9-A on the December 12 agenda both of which, he says, state “that the dog leash park on Main Street and Pacific was to be temporary.” He requested that the Council terminate the dog park. “The dogs are barking all the time,” he told the Mirror, “and the beautiful grass has been replaced with dog crap.

"His “bone” is Marine Park, Santa Monica’s newest doggie domain. As Diamond’s Main Street law office is directly across the street from that park, he is in a position to witness doggie mayhem first-hand. In a letter addressed to the City Council, he argues that Marine Park’s dog tenure was supposed to be temporary.

“The parks should revert to the people,” Diamond told the Mirror.

“The dogs don’t need a grass park near the ocean.” Although he claims he’s not a dog-hater, he also claims that “Dogs bite little kids, they bite mail delivery people, they bark, and they crap.” He believes that have no place in the cities and would be happier in more rural environs where they can run free. He also has problems with people’s need to bond with their dogs instead of with their neighbors.

“The sad thing is that people don’t seem to be able to establish relationships with other people,” he told the Mirror.For a while, City Hall appearances by highly vocal non-doggers at city hall were frequent, and there were nights when Santa Monica City Council chambers was filled with dog owners vying against non-dog owners for park privileges. Professional dog trainer Richard Vye says things are different now. Vye has been working with canines for 40 years. Grey pony-tailed, suspendered, hands in his pockets, he attracts dogs in groups of two or three (including his own dogs Dottie, a big happy yellow Labrador, and Cleo, a less descript Sheltie mix), who sense those pockets contain biscuits.“

Any dog in the park whose owner doesn’t object, I teach to sit or shake a paw,” he said.In the past, he said, complaints from locals were in large part legitimate until a conscious effort was made by dog owners to change that.“Of course, dogs will bark, but owners don’t let them carry on and on anymore. Three months ago, Darcy Shepherd was brought to Joslyn Park to ensure that order was kept. “We make sure that everyone is leashed on the way to and from the park, and that every dog is current on their Santa Monica license.”

A current license, she said, means that the dog is also current on his shots and a Santa Monica resident. Dogs from other cities are allowed in, but cannot be let off leash.Back at Marine Park, dog owners Jim Hazbourn and Mark Mazur concurred that the dog parks are a blessing. Mazur has a back yard but it’s not big enough for Pico, his black Labrador retriever.

Hazbourn believes they actually cut down on the local noise. “They get to work off all that excess energy instead of running circles in the backyard, plus it socializes them so they don’t go out of their minds every time another dog walks by.”

Bailey, Hazbourn’s six-month-beagle is already socialized and loves coming to the park “see his friends.”“I put him in the car, and we start heading down Main Street., and that can only mean one thing.”

Mazur mentioned another benefit. “ It probably keeps a lot of excrement off the sidewalks.”