The best place to see wealthy Angelenos acting like the rules don't apply to them is the Pacific Palisades farmers market. Between beautiful heirloom tomatoes and giant avocados I wish I could buy, dozens of signs make it clear that non-service dogs are prohibited. And yet, everywhere I look… dogs, dogs, dogs.
My partner and I moved to Los Angeles a year and a half ago. I know that criticizing an animal that most people find adorable may not be the best way to make friends. But the problem isn't the dogs in Los Angeles, it's their owners, who make life difficult for disabled Angelenos, including my partner, by disobeying the rules instituted for everyone's safety.
According to a recent article analyzing dog ownership, Los Angeles has more dogs than any other U.S. city. Los Angeles also has the embarrassing honor of topping the U.S. Postal Service’s 2023 list. National dog bite classificationLast year, city dogs attacked mail carriers 65 times.
The problems aren't always as extreme as bites. I've seen a poodle defecate inside a Santa Monica coffee shop, something that one social media user I also saw At a CVS. A few weeks ago in West Hollywood, I watched a woman feed an entire sandwich to her adorable Samoyed in a convenience store. My partner and I have encountered barking dogs in bookstores in Los Feliz and at a Trader Joe's in Beverly Hills. A Reddit thread Titled “Why Does Everyone Bring Their Dogs Into Stores in Los Angeles?” it features testimonials including a dog urinating on tortillas at a Ralph’s and a poodle barking and growling at passersby at a Target.
Some of these places allow dogs, but many others do not, not just because of the establishment's policy, but for public health reasons. California and federal laws Ban animals from stores that sell food, although service animals are exempt. Restaurant owners have discretion on whether dogs should be allowed in outdoor yards, with rules to maintain safety Yes they do.
When Los Angeles dog owners ignore these rules, people with disabilities can be further harmed. According to the 2023 Los Angeles County Health Survey, more than 27% of Los Angeles adults report having a disability. People with service dogs who may already face barriers to navigating public spaces find their lives more difficult when non-service dogs are allowed to use their dogs. distract your animal, and in some cases, stroke Even worse is the fraud: anyone can buy a “Service Dog Vest on Amazon Right now. Passing off an animal as a service dog is a practice illegal in 33 statesincluding California, and creates an atmosphere of skepticism about whether anyone is telling the truth about their dog.
My partner, who has cerebral palsy, often loses his balance when approached by an off-leash dog, or a leashed dog if not under control. Store aisles become obstacle courses. When he politely asks dog owners to move their pets, they often act as if they are She is the burden that is already how she and many other disabled people are often treated.
When my partner shows discomfort or behavior around a dog, I’m usually met with a condescending smile and a comment like, “Don’t worry. They’re nice.” This authoritarian response smacks of presumption about another person’s space. It doesn’t matter how cute or cuddly you think your dog is. If someone in a public space doesn’t want your dog around them, the dog shouldn’t be around them. Period.
My two adorable nieces love seeing dogs walking around their neighborhood. My brother and sister-in-law have taught them to first ask the dog owners if the dog is friendly and if it is okay to pet it. Many times, the answer is yes. Sometimes, the owner warns that the dog is aggressive and that they should not approach it.
If my little nieces can ask to pet a dog, then adult pet owners can ask strangers if it's okay for a dog to approach them.
Surely, there are a minority of Los Angeles dog owners who break the law, invade others’ space, and mistake their desire to bring their dog everywhere for a blanket permission to do so. These lawbreakers should take notice of the social norm that most dog owners emulate, who follow the rules and keep their dogs out of places where the animals don’t belong. In a city where people with disabilities already have to deal with poorly maintained sidewalks and aggressive drivers who rush pedestrians in crosswalks, dog owners should stop adding more obstacles to the list and clean up the messy behavior.
Nadav Ziv is a writer based in Los Angeles.
