Letter from Maria Goodavage, author of The Dog Lover's Companion to California

August 3, 2007

To city and state officials,

As author of the 1,000-page book, The Dog Lover's Companion to California, I was shocked to learn that the only areas where Santa Cruz dogs can run leash free are being slated for a mandatory leash law. Say it ain't so.

In my book, I already give Santa Cruz a less-than-exemplary review for its surprising lack of dog-friendly destinations, from dogs being banned on Pacific Avenue to the dearth of leash-free beaches or parks. Its Beach and Lighthouse Field are the main bright points in the Santa Cruz section of my book. Dogs need to be able to run off-leash. Their health, both psychological and physical, depends on it. I find it hard to believe that in a community as progressive and fun as Santa Cruz, dogs might soon have nowhere to run. This is truly a step backward, especially considering how other communities are going out of their way to meet the needs of the burgeoning number of recreational area users who have dogs.

I suggest that you use Carmel as an example of how a community can embrace dogs while still maintaining cleanliness and civility. Its white sand beach is leash-free for well-behaved dogs. Its myriad restaurants welcome dogs to dine alfresco. And most of its hotels and shops go out of their way to attract people with dogs. It's working for them. It's working so well, in fact, that the city has publicity campaigns to attract dogs and their people. It has proven extremely good for business. This week Carmel's mayor, Sue McCloud, is holding a screening of a short film that will be used to promote Carmel's dog-friendliness. You'll be able to view a six-minute version of this on the official Carmel website late next week at www.carmelcalifornia.com. (Full disclosure: I helped co-produce this film for the San Francisco-based dog video company, Smiling Dog Films. I was excited to be involved in something that highlights what I consider to be the most dog-friendly destination in California.)

I don't know the political ins and outs of the situation with Its Beach and Lighthouse Field, so my request is simple: Please do whatever it is you can to make sure these remain off-leash havens. I'm sure there are ways to make this a win-win situation. I look forward to good news for the next edition of my book, which I am working on right now.

Thank you,
Maria Goodavage
San Francisco, CA 94122
maria@caldogtravel.com www.carmelcalifornia.com www.smilingdogfilms.com