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Have you ever seen someone riding a bike and dragging their dog along on a leash, sometimes literally dragging them? I have. I begged the cyclist to stop and offered to walk the dog myself. She didn't even acknowledge me. I pleaded the case to animal control, who then spoke to the neighbor. Unfortunately, they said they couldn't cite her because there was no law on the books to stop her. So I decided to ask the City Council to pass an ordinance to protect the poor voiceless dogs and the public.
Thank you to Mayor Pro Tem Sue Kempf, who championed the ordinance, and the rest of the City Council for voting to pass it.
The new ordinance will protect dogs who are not big enough or do not have the physical capacity needed to keep up with a moving bicycle, as well as protect the public from accidents. The City of Laguna Beach ordinance is the first of its kind in putting restrictions on riding a bike, including e-bikes, with a tethered dog based on the well-being of the animal.
The ordinance states that, "No person shall tie any animal to any moving bicycle or moving vehicle if doing so endangers the health and well-being of the animal or the public."
The penalty could be an administrative citation for which the fines are $100 for a 1st offense, $200 for a 2nd offense, and $500 for 3rd and subsequent offenses within a 12-month period. The City has the option to bring criminal charges as well.
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