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Dog owners in San Diego could find themselves paying hefty fines for letting their dogs run around without leashes in public spaces. According to KGTV, the San Diego Humane Society's "park patrol" is targeting people who let their dogs run freely in public parks and school fields.
KPBS reported that the Humane Society has seen a spike in the number of dog owners violating these rules over the past year, with many owners taking their dogs off the leash during the pandemic.
As schools closed due to COVID-19, people got comfortable bringing their dogs to the empty playgrounds and fields to run free. This has resulted in parents and school officials complaining that dogs and their owners have taken over places that were meant for school children.
The Humane Society reports their officers are issuing about 200 citations every month with one-third of those parks in Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach. But apparently, the fine isn't enough for some dog owners. KPBS reported that 51 people have received more than three citations each between March 2020 and January 2022.
The Humane Society runs animal control for the city of San Diego and 13 other cities, but so far only San Diego has requested the all-day park patrols.