May 12, 2016

Greetings to all Unleash The Beach members and dog beach fans,

As you know we have struggled with the state for 11 years and they refuse to give us permission for a pilot dog beach. Our Santa Monica City Beach is actually “owned” by the state and they have the final word.

Well, there is a new movement for more dog beaches in LA County.  Jeff Douek and his associate in West Hollywood have started an initiative to be put on the county ballot in November allowing citizens to access the county beaches  with their dogs.  It is a little fuzzy exactly which beaches are county owned, but according to a couple of official documents on the Internet there are a few beach areas that are considered county and not state.

If you go to Google and ask "What LA county beaches are owned by the county," you will find this: file.lacounty.gov/dbh/docs/cmst_1490602.pdf LOS ANGELES COUNTY BEACH HISTORY.  It states that Nicholas Canyon County Beach was their first beach “acquired by the county” and  “Today the County not only operates and maintains the beaches along the Los Angeles Coast but also owns most of them."

We know from previous meeting and experience with the county officials that they are not fans of dog beaches any more than the state. But  with a ballot initiative they passed they may be forced to act.

The effort now is to get enough signatures on the ballot so that the county will have to respond.  Hopefully in the very least they will not ticket if we bring our dogs. 

The petitions must be paper and not  digital.  There are petitions you can download and  send in on their website.

LADogBeaches.com….Be sure and note that the forms for more than two signatures MUST be double-sided.

There is also an address on the site where you can send these in. Must be in by June 1.  You can also drop them by the WEHO Bistro, address also on website, and you could even pick up more forms there.

More than half the signatures are already collected but the time left  to collect the rest is short.  Please copy some forms and get your friends and neighbors to sign them and get them in before the deadline.   

There will also be a rally for this movement this Saturday, May 14 from 11 - 2 at Rosie’s Beach in Long Beach regarding the petition drive. If you go please tell them you are a member of Unleash the Beach and people should also sign up for our Facebook and web pages.  If this thing works out it could well mean progress for our local beach as well..

For more information go to LADogBeaches.com and act now! 

Dog beaches in our county is a GREAT thing!!! 

Let’s have a big show of support from the Unleash the Beach crowd and help make this a success!

Best regards,

Georja Umano

Founder and Director

Unleash the Beach

New and Actions and Allies for the Santa Monica Dog Beach

April 12, 2015

Greetings all and happy Spring!  We are pursuing new avenues and hopeful that maybe we will see some progress on the dog beach pilot program in Santa Monica.

Kevin McKeown, who has been a Santa Monica City Councilman for over ten years was our first supporter and promoter for the dog beach when we had our first rally and actions in 2004.  Today he is Mayor of the Santa Monica! And he hasn't forgotten our platform.

Besides Kevin, we seem to have an animal friendly City Council this year. Of course, that hasn't been the stumbling block in the past.  The major obstacle has been getting he approval of the Director of State Parks to agree.

But it helps to have new people who are also pet guardians on the Council. Additionally, Commissioner Phil Brock, who was on the Recreation Commission for years and last time we presented in front of that commission,  was adamantly against the dog beach, has changed his mind.  He also wants to help move this forward.

We have also been in touch with the offices of Assemblyman Richard Bloom from Santa Monica. His Chief of Staff has indicated that the office may be able to help influence state parks parties regarding the dog beach. And our new Senator Ben Allen, has been briefed by our hero outgoing Senator Ted Lieu on the work we have been doing on this issue.  His chief of staff who is his "animal" person asked to be told how they could help.

The position of State Parks director is now open.  After a brief conference Unleash the Beach had with Mayor McKeown, he proceeded to take a direct action, and he has sent a letter to Governor Jerry Brown.

In the letter, he reminded Gov. Brown of Santa Monica's interest in starting a pilot dog beach project and how the City Council has voted favorably for it three times.  Speaking of the open position of Director of State Parks, Mayor wrote, "We hope that your new appointment may be open to working with the City to establish a pilot dog beach so that we might meet this desired community need."

We'll keep you posted on what happens going forward.  We will soon have a letter writing campaign  depending on Gov. Brown's appointment or lack thereof, as well as rallying all of our legislative allies.

STAY POSTED!!  We are not giving up on our much deserved dog beach. If you can recruit some of your dog guardian friends to join Unleash the Beach, we will be in the strongest position to push a new campaign.

Woof!
Georja
georja@unleashthebeach.org

&
 Don’t Forget The Primaries!
 
Dear Dog Beach Advocates,

State Parks has once again responded negatively to dog beach efforts.

We don’t know why the State Parks is so vehemently against us having a pilot dog beach.  In their most recent letter to Senator Lieu after he demanded a response, there were blatant untruths, including a new one that this was “against the law” due to United States Fish and Wildlife  mandates.   I called the USFW and spoke directly with a ranger biologist who was involved in writing the regulation and discovered that the State Parks interpretation is incorrect.

Senator Lieu is now running for federal office to take over the seat of Rep. Henry Waxman, and he has a good chance of winning the primary. Because of the holidays, travel, and his new campaign, it had been hard to get a meeting with him since the letter was sent in November.  But I spoke with him last week, and he has committed to continue working on our issue this year as he will still be our state senator until 2015. He promises he will be calling for  a meeting with the State Parks reps and the USFW hopefully soon after the primaries.

Senator Lieu is a solid man who keeps his word.  Please support him in his bid for a national office by voting for him n the June 3 primaries. It will be sad to lose him as our state rep but wonderful to have a responsive rep on the national level who cares about us and about animal issues.  He has been a leader in California legislation to protect and improve the lives of animals. If you have time to help with his campaign, please call his Venice campaign office 310 399 3637.

But now we have to fill his seat with someone who will take up the battle.  I have interviewed Betsy Butler at length when she was running for our local Assemblyperson. She is a crusader for a dog beach in this area and when she was in office in South Bay took steps towards getting a dog beach there….she is adamantly interested in getting a dog beach and says she will not give up the fight.  She is like “a dog with a bone.”  She will call for meetings with all interested parties.  She already knows the facts and the players and I am convinced has great determination to help us get this much desired community project up and running.  Please vote for Betsy Butler in the primaries on June 3.

This year marks the 10th year since our first rally to get a dog beach in Santa Monica.  We have had many actions and come close several times. Sadly, many of us original members’ dogs who we were fighting for have already passed away.  But it is still a great cause. It will bring much joy and good will to those of us who will use it, as it does to those in Long Beach, Santa Barbara, Huntington Beach, Carmel and so many other communities up and down the coast.

We believe it is a civic right. We live here because we love the beach. About 40% of the population have dogs and we love to recreate with them.  We should have has many rights as those who use the beach and public lands for sports and other forms of recreation.

Use your voice at the ballot box and vote in the June primary. We’re not just voting for a candidate but also a life style.

Peace and blessings,

Georja Umano,
Founder and Pres. UTB

FYI:   BACKGROUND from 2013

2013 was an active year for promoting the pilot dog beach program in Santa Monica.  We had recruited Senator Ted Lieu to be our spokesperson and fueled him with our history and information in the uphill battle to win over State Parks and Recreation

As you will recall, after much campaigning from members of Unleash the Beach, the pilot program had already been approved by the City of Santa Monica twice. The City has agreed to pay all costs involved, monitor the beach and keep it ecologically pristine.  The approximately 60 existing dog beaches in California are there because activists have also won these approvals.

BUT in the case of Santa Monica, unfortunately, we have a “state” beach run by the city.  Even more unfortunate, Los Angelenos are stuck with an arbitrary 75 miles of coastline that are labeled “state” beaches so somehow have to also win a go-ahead from the State Parks and Recreation.  There is the rub.  The State Parks, in the past 10 years of activism has always responded with a sour note, and old disproven excuses.

We were hopeful when a new Director was appointed. We were hopeful when Senator Lieu, (who in 2006 commissioned a research project on all California dog beaches to study objections and benefits – and concluded that the objections were basically not valid and the benefits were many-) promised to take up our cause with the Parks Director.

We were also hopeful when the Secretary of Natural Resources initiated a Commission last year that went to 10 cities and particularly asked the public: what can we do to improve state parks?  What group is not being served?  We showed up at the L.A. meeting strong and clear, with reps from Sen. Lieu’s office, the City of Santa Monica, Unleash the Beach and a marine biologist.  Our friends in Santa Cruz who are now fighting for their dog beach also had a great showing at their local meeting.  And yet somehow when all was said and done the dog beach issue was basically ignored by the Commission and barely stated in its summary.

Unleash the Beach News

presents

One Small Action for a Dog Beach


The new State Parks commissioners wrapped up their ten city tour in Los Angeles on Oct. 17, 2013. Everywhere they went they wanted feedback from the public. I believe they are looking for ten projects to promote.It was a difficult meeting for most people to get to --downtown on a Thursday afternoon.BUT.....There is something easy that most dog beach advocates can do!

Please write to the Parks Forward Commission at info@parksforward.com.

They are accepting and encouraging public comment until November 4.

Sample letter: This is just a suggestion - you can copy and paste, edit or write your own* (best).  Please ask your friends to also send a note.  The more the better. Send to info@ParksForward.com

I am a member of Unleash the Beach, and I am writing to you on behalf of a large part of the California population from all walks of life who are underserved by the State Parks system. This is the 41% of us who have companion dogs and are largely not allowed to take them to the state parks. In particular I am writing about the beach in LA County - 75 miles of state beach with no dog beach.

The City of Santa Monica, the state's good partner in operating the Santa Monica Beach, has requested, by large community demand, that the state allow for a designated, well marked part of the beach for a pilot dog beach.  The City would be liable and cover all costs.

This  reasonable and modest proposal is well supported by Senator Lieu, the Santa Monica City Council, the Los Angeles Times, and the Santa Monica Daily Press, as well as other institutions such as SPCALA, The Pet Show, the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association, and many many others.

Sincerely,

(your name)  - (please jot a reply to us and let us know you are participating.)

There are some criteria they are looking for:

-A population that is underserved in order to promotemore use of the parks.
-They are looking for a sense of what the community wants. 
 -They like the fact that park use promotes public healthby having people spend time outdoors and exercising.
 -They can be reminded that we are only asking for aproperly designated area on the beach.
 -The fact that they are looking to enhance partnerships: and the Santa Monica City operating agreement with the state has been a good one with one exception: why won’t the state listen to their very modest and very popular proposal for a pilot dog beach?
 -Supported by Senator Lieu, the Santa Monica City Council, the Los Angeles Times, and the Santa Monica Daily Press, as well as other institutions such as SPCALA, The Pet Show, the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association, and many many others.



At the PARKS FORWARD meeting


Unleash the Beach had five representatives there on the 17th. A field rep from Senator Lieu's office, Lauren Pizer-Mains, who read a letter from the Senator attended. She read, among other things, " Off-leash dog beaches are beneficial and provide recreation, socialization and community engagement for both animal and owner.....Parks Forward has a tremendous opportunity to improve partnerships between state and local stakeholders and enhance our treasured state parks for the enjoyment of all Californians."

Judith Meisner for Santa Monica politely reminded the commission that Santa Monica has a great relationship with State Parks in caring for the beach and many projects, except for the one project of a pilot dog beach...

Tish Bunk, a marine biologist  spoke about the benefits of the dog beach as did Alfredo and Georja.

(the only other group there who had several advocates were a group of "naturalists" who were promoting nudity on some beaches!)

NOW GO SEND YOUR EMAIL!!!

GOOD NEWS FROM UNLEASH THE BEACH!!

Stand Up For a Dog Beach
OCT. 8, 2013

Dear Dog Beach Advocates,

 We have been waiting for news from Senator Ted Lieu’s office.   Senator Lieu has met with the new Director of State Parks, General Jackson, regarding a dog beach in Santa Monica.  The director responded with a few questions regarding the beach. Senator Lieu consulted with us, waited for official response from the City of Santa Monica.

I am happy to report that the City of Santa Monica has written two great letters to General Jackson, expressing public political will for a dog beach, and how the City will take financial responsibility for it.  Senator Lieu has just included these, along with his own strong follow-up letter.  We are hopeful that this will lead to a breakthrough in getting started on the long-awaited pilot program.

In the meantime...

There is an action we can take to support this process.  Secretary of Natural Resources, John Laird has created a new commission called Parks Forward. It is conducting public workshops throughout the state and taking feedback from the public. Soon it will convene in Los Angeles.

Here are three of the questions on the agenda, (along with possible dog beach advocate answers--you may come up with some of your own too...)

-- What can State Parks do to better support and manage effective operating partnerships?
( The City of Santa Monica has an operating agreement with the state and has requested to establish a pilot dog beach and been refused so far. The City is willing to pick up all financial and other responsibility.State parks need to listen more closely to the requests of its partners and honor them.)

 --How would you characterize those groups currently using the state parks in your region, and those groups of potential park visitors that are underserved and under - represented today by your state parks?
 (Volley ball players, picnickers, sun-bathers, skate boarders, bikers, swimmers and others use the public beach, but the 41% of the public who recreate with their dogs are shut out of the state beaches for 75 miles in LA County.)

--What types of parks or park services, facilities, programs, and activities are required to meet the needs of both existing and future visitors?
 (We want to establish an environmentally friendly and user friendly zone on the beach where we can recreate with our dogs.  We are willing to accept limited times, especially in the pilot program to show it can be responsibly run-- as are over 50 other dog beaches in CA.)

To see the complete agenda, please go to
http://parksforward.com//site/uploads/Public_Workshop_Agenda_-_Los_Angeles.pdf

Dog beach advocacy fits perfectly into these categories.
Let's make them hear our message!
We are looking for dog beach advocates to come to the meeting on Oct. 17.  I believe people can only speak for 2 or 3 minutes.  So it may take many voices to politely tell why we want the dog beach. Even if you don't want to say anything, a big showing will also speak to them....we will all wear red and I have some Unleash the Beach badges we can all wear.

If you know you are coming I will send some last minute instructions. But if you happen to get free at the last minute feel free to come anyway.

The Parks Forward meeting  Los Angeles takes place the afternoon of Thursday, October 17.
Radisson USC,
3540 S. Figeuroa
Los Angeles, Ca 90007
Schedule is from 3-7pm.

If you can’t make it at 3, but can get there before 5, I believe our topics will start after the break at 5.  There is $10 hotel parking or you can park at a meter on the street
It is walking distance from the USC metro stop.

Please RSVP at georja@unleashthebeach.org if you can come.

Hope to see you soon.

Woofs and howls
Georja Umano
LOOKING FOR A DOG BEACH ADVOCATE WITH SCIENCE BACKGROUND
PLEASE CONTACT ME
georja@unleashthebeach.org
  Friends and Supporters of Unleash the Beach:
S.P.C.A.L.A.
Animal Defenders International
In Defense of Animals
The Pelican Network
Best Friends
Los Angeles Times
Santa Monica Daily Press
Asst. Attorney General Doug Knoll
Warren Eckstein's 'The Pet Show'
Animal Wellness Center
Center Sinai Animal Hospital
Healthy Spot
To Wag For
Bark Williams
Animal Kingdom
The Omelette Parlor
Rick's Tavern
Misofishy
The Talking Stick Cafe
212 Pier Cafe
Witzend Club
The Golding Gallery


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Copyright © 2013 Unleash The Beach, All rights reserved.
Thank you for supporting Unleash the Beach, the grass-roots effort to establish an off-leash dog zone on Santa Monica Beach. We send these updates to members and interested parties who have opted in at our website and/or via email to info@unleashthebeach.org.

Our mailing address is:
Unleash The Beach
11774 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064-1309

Add us to your address book

POLITICS FOR UNLEASHED BEACH!!
HALLOWEEN TIPS FOR PETS !

Unleash the Beach News

presents

TIME TO VOTE FOR  PRO-ACTIVE  DOG BEACH ADVOCATES!!

State Senator Ted Lieu  has promised to help us get the pilot dog beach in Santa Monica--no matter what. Due to political re-districting, Sen. Lieu will become our Senator in November.  He has already contacted the State Parks and Recreation Department to see if he could get to the bottom of their denial of our pilot program and is about to re-visit the state parks now that the Director has resigned. A new director still has not been appointed.  However, if State Parks still refuses to allow us to start a dog beach pilot program, Senator Lieu may need to take the campaign to the State Legislature and it could happen soon.

As you know, the Santa Monica City Council voted 6-1 last October to establish and pay all necessary funds for a pilot program. However, since Santa Monica is a state beach, the State Parks has to agree. This is where we have been stuck. (For more background info, visit our website at http://www.UnleashTheBeach.org)

Senator Lieu has asked us to elicit support from the candidates running for office in the State Assembly 50th District. This district  is comprised of  Santa Monica, Malibu, Brentwood, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Carthay Square, West Hollywood, much of Hollywood, Hancock Park, Miracle Mile, as well as Pacific Palisades, Topanga, part of the Santa Monica Mountains and Agoura Hills.   The candidates include: SM Mayor Richard Bloom, and Assemblywoman Betsy Butler.  Both of these candidates maintain a favorable stance towards the dog beach and say they will happily work with Senator Lieu.

Richard Bloom voted in favor of the pilot program when on the City Council in 2011 (not in the 2005 vote) and says he remains in favor.
Betsy Butler has taken a very PRO-ACTIVE stance towards the dog beach.  She herself not only solicited a meeting personally, she has sent her representatives to meet with Unleash the Beach on two separate occasions. Betsy was working on dog beach issues in Redondo Beach when as Assemblywoman there.   She is eager to work with us and says she has made it a priority. We certainly appreciate her activism.


MEANWHILE IN SANTA MONICA...

There are 15 candidates running for 4 seats in the Santa Monica City Council.  Even though the City Council has already voted to approve the pilot program there will be more votes coming up in the future. If Sen. Lieu creates a legislative bill, we want the City to give him full support.  When we do get approval to start plans for the dog beach, we want people who will keep fighting for the best possible outcome and not get discouraged by anything or anyone  who might try to obstrct it.  In that light, we have sent a questionaire to all the candidates to find out what they would do to further this project along.

First of all, Mayor Pro Temp Gleam Davis and Incmbant Councilman Terry O'Day both supported and agreed to present the original bill to get the pilot program last year and will continue to work for it this year.

Gleam especially pushed it through and has stayed in touch comimg to several Unleash the Beach meetings. She has been a real champion.
Terry promises to keep working until we find a solution the State will accept.  For their past efforts, success, and their continued promises we feel that both Gleam and Terry need to be re-elected this year for the sake of the dog beach.

Of the remaining 13 candidates, we have received responses from 8 and they were all favorable towards the dog beach. We thought maybe those who didn't respond somehow didn't see their emails so we tried again. Because we got no response we can only say we don't know what their stance is--or they didn't think it important enough to respond. The following candidates did respond and here is a brief look at how UTB evaluates their responses.

Jerry Rubin who has been a big supporter in the past, inviting us to speak at his activist circle and inviting Ted Lieu- says he will continue supporting a dog beach whether he is elected or not.

Although they don't seem to be as up to date on the issues, the following candidates answered the questionnaire expressed a willingness to learn and help-some more pro-actively than others as you might see from their comments:
Antonio Vasquez, Shari Davis, Frank Gruber, John Mann, Terence Later, John C. Smith, Ted Winterer.

John C. Smith seems passionate about the issue, says he is fully committed and especially 'willing to work to get it done.'
Shari Davis says she would love to have a dog beach, has some practical ideas, and eager to learn more and help.
Antonio Vasquez  expressed interest to learn more and asked how he could help.
John Mann and Terence Later have run before and feel they could be more effective than the less "independent" campaigners at actually getting the pilot started. Both candidates say they have made this a priority in previous campaigns.
Frank Gruber  said he hoped the state parks would change their minds
and Ted Winterer said his family would use it if state parks could be persuaded .

Hope this helps you decide who to vote for.  All of this is subjective and based their past record and/or on short answers received.  Most important thing is to get out and vote, and please keep the dog beach in mind!
PET HALLOWEEN TIPS AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE! KEEP SCROLLING!
 Friends and Supporters of Unleash the Beach:
S.P.C.A.L.A.
Animal Defenders International
In Defense of Animals
The Pelican Network
Best Friends
Los Angeles Times
Santa Monica Daily Press
Asst. Attorney General Doug Knoll
Warren Eckstein's 'The Pet Show'
Animal Wellness Center
Center Sinai Animal Hospital
Healthy Spot
To Wag For
Bark Williams
Animal Kingdom
The Omelette Parlor
Rick's Tavern
Misofishy
The Talking Stick Cafe
212 Pier Cafe
Witzend Club
The Golding Gallery



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HALLOWEEN TIPS FOR PETS
Holiday fun for humans can translate into hazards for companion animals. Halloween is the busiest time of year for the Pet Poison Helpline because companion animals often accidentally ingest Halloween candy or décor. Check out the following tips to help keep your furry friends safe and happy this Halloween season:
Keep your animals inside around Halloween and away from the front door during trick-or-treating. Animals can become excited or threatened by visitors, so keep them in a separate and enclosed room where they can remain calm—this also eliminates the risk that they will escape. Don't leave dogs in the yard because they can escape or be subjected to torment by passersby. As an added precaution, make sure that your animal companions wear identification at all times. And if you're going trick-or-treating, don't take your animals with you.
Although all cats should be indoor cats, this is even more important during the month of October—especially if you have ablack cat. Black cats are often associated with dark forces and are an easy target for Halloween pranksters who commit violent acts against unsuspecting kitties. You can also help black cats this Halloween by supporting PETA's SNIP mobile clinic.
Decorations pose a threat to dogs, cats, and other animals. Keep your animal companions away from jack-o-lanterns, candles, balloons, or other decorations that they could ingest, become tangled in, or be injured by.
One of the biggest hazards to four-legged friends during Halloween is candy. Keep candy in secure containers and in an area that your animal companions cannot gain access to. Chocolate is toxic to dogs, and sugary candy can lead to pancreatitis. Raisins, certain nuts, and xylitol (an artificial sweetener found in some gums and candies) can also be poisonous to furry friends. Plus, animals don't remove the wrappers from candy and may try to eat discarded wrappers—ingesting these wrappers can cause choking or life-threatening bowel obstruction.
If you think your animal companion has ingested something, symptoms to watch for include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, not defecating or straining to defecate, agitation, increased thirst, an elevated heart rate, and in severe cases, seizures. Contact your veterinarian or the Pet Poison Helpline immediately.
Do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian or the 24-hour Pet Poison Helpline immediately at 1-800-213-6680 if you suspect that your animal companion has ingested something or might be injured. Keep these numbers on hand for quicker response—the faster that you can get help, the less your animal companion will suffer and the more likely he or she will make a speedy recovery


HALLOWEEN DOG PARADE IN LONG BEACH
HAUTE DOG HOWL'OWEEN PARADE is Sun., Oct. 28, 2012, 2:30 p.m., to include more than 400 costumed dogs and a few thousand dogless gawkers.
Haute Dogs is expected to again donate thousands of dollars to animal welfare programs from money raised. There is no charge to spectate. DETAILS
SEEhttp://www.hautedogs.org/howloween.html
$10/dog, advance
$20/dog day of event
$35/VIP dog (advance only)
V.I.P. (Very Important Pooch!) you and your dog get to walk near the front of the parade

Picnic with Sen. Ted Lieu!

PICNIC with Senator Ted Lieu

UNLEASH THE BEACH SUPPORTERS ARE CORDIALLY INVITED!

A chance for dog beach supporters to meet each other and have fun while also having a chance to meet Sen. Lieu and tell him how important the dog beach is to you!

State Senator Ted Lieu To Be Featured Speaker At Activist Support Circle Annual Potluck Public Picnic
Date: Sunday, August 12
Time: 1:00PM
Location: Santa Monica Clover Park
2600 Ocean Park Boulevard
Santa Monica 90405

Senator Lieu is the representative for the 28th District and soon will be representing Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades and other Westside areas and is working with Unleash the Beach for a pilot dog beach program in Santa Monica!

No charge to attend. Free on-site parking.
Picnic event participants are invited to bring a vegetarian potluck dish to share.

DOGS ARE ALLOWED IN CLOVER PARK ON LEASH. IF YOU BRING YOUR DOG, PLEASE MAKE SURE SHE IS WELL BEHAVED AROUND FOOD!

The Activist Support Circle is an ongoing open support group for progressive activists helping to guard against activist burnout.
Thank you, Jerry Rubin, for the special invitation for Unleash the Beach members!

In the Meantime...Support Is Mounting!

We have been contacted by California Assemblywoman Betsy Butler, who is running for the Assembly seat for Santa Monica, Palisades and other Westside areas in November (vs. Mayor Richard Bloom).

Rep. Butler has been trying to get a dog beach pilot going in El Segundo and is aware of the many potential administrative pitfalls.  She is pro-actively offering to talk to her contacts at the State level about moving our pilot project along and also to working with Senator Lieu.

Two New Influential Supporters Join the Ranks

Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Barry Baum, we now have the support of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association. They have released a statement of endorsement for the efforts of Unleash the Beach!

Ca. Deputy District Attorney Doug Knoll has recently moved to Santa Monica.  He thinks it's a great idea to take his dogs to the beach and will be following up that thought to Gov. Jerry Brown and the Sec. of Natural Resources!

We have also written a letter to the Natural Resources Secretary and requested that when replacing the Director of State Parks (who as you know resigned over a money scandal), that they consider finding someone who is more responsive to the needs and demonstrated desires of the community and animals!

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL ON THE 12th!!!


  Friends and Supporters of Unleash the Beach:

Santa Monica City Council
Senator Ted Lieu
Mayor RIchard Bloom
Assemblywoman Betsy Butler
State Deputy District Attorney Doug Knoll
S.P.C.A.L.A.
Animal Defenders International
In Defense of Animals
The Pelican Network
Best Friends
Los Angeles Times
Santa Monica Daily Press
So. California Veterinary Medical Association
Center Sinai Animal Hospital
Animal Wellness Center
Warren Eckstein's The Pet Show
Healthy Spot
To Wag For
Bark Williams
Animal Kingdom
The Omelette Parlor
Rick's Tavern
Misofishy
The Talking Stick Cafe
212 Pier Cafe
Witzend Club
The Golding Gallery