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Hi Seal Beach,
Last week we received a question about a potential dog bite incident involving an off-leash dog. Although the apparent dog bite victim did not contact us directly, and we found out about this incident secondhand, we thought this would be a good time to share some information about leash laws and dog bites.
Seal Beach Municipal Code §7.05.055 specifically addresses leash requirements for dogs. It states:
“No person having the care, charge, or control of any dog shall cause or allow such dog to be present upon any beach, street, alley, or public place, or upon any private property or premises other than his or her own without written consent of the owner or lessee of the premises, unless such dog is securely restrained by a substantial leash or chain not exceeding six feet in length and controlled by a person competent to restrain such dog. Leashed dogs are not permitted in areas where dogs are prohibited.”
Based on this ordinance, the dog owner involved in this incident would likely be in violation of the leash law by allowing their dog to run loose.
As far as dog bites, it is important that all dog bite victims report these incidents, as we carefully track bites and have reporting requirements to Orange County Animal Control for rabies and disease tracking.
By reporting all dog bites, regardless of how minor, it allows us to investigate the incident and potentially take action with the dog’s owner.
For the issue of the dog being off-leash, as with all crimes, we encourage residents to contact us when the violation occurs. That way, we can dispatch a police officer or animal control officer and contact the offender. From there, we can either educate, warn, or take enforcement action if necessary. However, if we are not notified of these incidents, it makes it much more difficult to ensure residents follow the rules.
For life-or-death emergencies, please call 9-1-1. For urgent (but not emergency) police matters, please call our non-emergency line (562) 594-7232. For routine animal control-related questions, please call our animal control line (562) 799-4100 ext. 1606.
The Seal Beach Police Department encourages responsible pet ownership. For more information, visit:https://www.sealbeachca.gov/City-Services/Animal-Control.
Keep your questions coming, Seal Beach! Email us at askacop@sealbeachca.gov today!
