It looks like L.A. owners wanting to let their dog cool off at the beach will have to wait.
A petition to push for more dog-friendly beaches didn’t gain enough momentum to be put on the Nov. 8 ballot.
Launched by Jeff Douek and Jerry Teigen, owners of the WeHo Bistro, the campaign needed 142,000 signatures of verified Los Angeles County voters to qualify, yet, they only managed to get 100,000. However, they were able to collect that huge quantity in just four months, a sign that dog lovers are wanting more amenities for their pup.
“I never met anyone who did not want to sign the petition,” Douek told The Daily Breeze. “It’s not like increasing taxes or porn or marijuana. … I received (only) two emails” from opponents.
Related: Orange County Is On Its Way to Getting Its First Official Dog Beach
Supporters of the petition went to pet stores, dog parks, events and other places animal lovers congregated, including the only off-leash dog beach in Los Angeles County: Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach.
If the campaign would have landed on the November ballot and passed, it would have required the county to establish three to five dog runs on beaches controlled by the county.
Douek blamed the failed initiative on it being his first time and the size of the county. “Just from a personal perspective, if I knew everything then that I know now, it would have been much faster.
In a small silver lining, L.A. residents do have options. Besides Rosie’s, there are dog-friendly beaches in Ventura County, San Diego and Huntington Beach.
Related: Angel City Brewery Lets Dog Owners Enjoy a Beer With Their Pup
Still, for a country that has 10 million residents, it is a bit ridiculous that it wouldn’t accommodate more dog owners.
Despite not reaching the required amount, Doeuk still plans on bringing up to the issue with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, as they do have some discretion.
“It’s not a tough sell to people who have dogs,” Doeuk says of dog beaches. “It’s a tough sell to a politician who has to look at all the rules.”
Related: This Santa Monica Beachside Biergarten Boasts Tasty Food and Pup-Friendly Amenities
Image via Flickr/Eric Sonstroem
