Readers Respond -- Newport-Mesa residents support Red Baron

I’ve lived in Newport for 37 years. I’ve had dogs that I have taken

down to Big Corona to play ball and Frisbee in the ocean. It can’t be

safe for the dog, or the person holding the leash, to run in the waves

and be tied to each other (“Council tugs at freedom to be leash-free,”

Friday). As long as a dog isn’t a threat to anyone and his master cleans

up any “gifts” left on the beach, what’s the big deal?

The city is wasting way too much time and energy on this. There are

more important issues they need to manage and enforce against humans to

make our beaches safe and trash-free, and to protect beach property from

being vandalized and misused.

If harassing animals is the most important issue on the City Council’s

agenda, the council needs to flip its to-do list back to an upright

position. Recently, they voted to stop people from feeding ducks on

Balboa Island, another waste of time, so now they are wasting time and

money micro-managing dogs. How much does the council make a year?

LIZ WARD

Newport Beach

Poor Red Baron. There is no greater agony for a golden retriever,

water dogs by nature, to have to stare at water in which they are not

allowed.

I frequently walk our goldie on the local boardwalks and oceanfront.

Walk along any section of our coast during the hours dogs are currently

allowed and you will see a substantial number of dogs walking with their

owners. It is very common to see goldies and Labradors and other

water-loving dogs damp from a romp in the surf.

What if the city were to designate special areas and hours for “dog

use?” Perhaps allowing dogs off leash up to the water line (so they can

play in the surf) from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday during the

summer? Or before 9 a.m.? Lifeguard towers and a flag system similar to

“black ball” could be used to establish the allowed area and indicate dog

hours are in effect.

It would be nice if the city’s response could be one of looking for

options to accommodate this section of the community instead of

tightening laws to make sure no dog ever swims without a leash. I am

certain there would be community support and that it would not be a

problem to rally enough supporters to gather funds needed (for signs,

etc.) and work with the city to set something like this in motion.

Go, Red Baron. Your water-loving compadres support you.

MEG TWEEDY

Costa Mesa

How nice it would be if all the dog owners in Orange County took their

dogs to the beach in Corona del Mar, at least weekly.

Then maybe we could close the bark parks and use that land for

something else. Or maybe we could have an animal boarding kennel at the

beach so when the yuppies from South County were flying off someplace,

they could spend their final minutes, before departure, frolicking with

their pooches on the beach.

But we should define that so that just certain beaches could be used.

JACK PERKINS

Costa Mesa