In front of Starbucks on the 500 block of State Street in Santa Barbara sits Nevaeh — a 35-pound female American Staffordshire terrier mix with brown brindle fur.
As a UPS driver approaches her, she greets him with a tail wag as he pets her head while he passes.
Nevaeh’s owner, Alijah, a transient who didn’t want his last name used, holds his dog on a leash while tourists, locals and students stroll past them.
Alijah said he follows local animal laws and understands he could get a citation for leaving his dog tied up or unattended outside a business or off-leash.
“People see that we are homeless, but I put a lot of money into my dog and keep control of her all the time,” Alijah said.
He said his dog is licensed, microchipped and spayed.
Nevaeh and Alijiah were approached by two community service officers in response to complaints of aggressive dogs, dogs off-leash and license violations in the downtown area.
A Santa Barbara Police Department Animal Control officer, along with police Officer Ben Kerr and a team of CSOs on Wednesday evening approached 41 nondog participants and 17 dog owners in the 400 to 900 blocks of State Street during a two-hour patrol focusing on dog leash and license violations.
Officers aimed to create awareness with residents during the event, not issue citations.
A community service officer approached a reindeer Chihuahua named Autumn and her owner, a Santa Barbara resident, near the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Autumn was on a proper-size leash and had license tags.
“I appreciate the police doing this,” said Autumn’s owner, Shirley, who didn’t want to provide her last name. “We have had problems before (with aggressive dogs), and people need to be more responsible.”
In Santa Barbara, owners are required to obtain a license for any dog older than four months. According to the law, no dog is permitted in a public place unless on a leash, no longer than six feet in length and under the immediate control of the owner.
Kerr said that once the summer season starts, State Street will get busy with owners who leave their animals unattended because they are unaware of city laws.
“Every owner swears up and down that their dog is fine and no problem,” Kerr said. “Your dog may be fine around you, but when you take it off-leash and have people walking by, they can feel intimidated.”
Animal patrol officer Kirk Taylor, who has patrolled the Santa Barbara area for two years, said ticket violation costs range depending on the court. He said citations can span from $150 to $200 for a leash law violation or if the dog is not licensed.
Taylor said that even at an off-leash dog area, the owner must remain present, carry a leash and be responsible. Off-leash dog areas in Santa Barbara include the Douglas Family Preserve (within the area posted by the Parks & Recreation director in accordance with the resolution adopted by the city), Elings Park, Hale Park and on the beach from the Shoreline Park staircase west to the eastern edge of Arroyo Burro Beach Park.
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
