§ 6.16.100. Dog leash required.

A.

No person responsible for a dog shall permit such dog to do any of the following, unless the dog is upon a secure leash not more than six feet (6') long held continuously in the hands of a responsible person capable of controlling the dog, or unless the dog is securely confined within an automobile:

1.

Be in or upon any public street, sidewalk, improvement, park or other public place, or private property if the private property is open or accessible to the public; or

2.

Enter upon another person's property without permission.

B.

This Section shall not apply to any such person who is in possession or operating within the terms of a valid, unrevoked permit from the City for the conduct of obedience or other types of trial or show of dogs in or upon any public place.

C.

This Section shall not apply to person responsible for a dog in a fenced dog exercise area in a City park, or portion of a City park, approved and designated for that purpose by the City Council.

D.

A person responsible for a dog shall comply with the following regulations and limitations applied to all dog exercise areas identified in Subsection C. of this Section:

1.

Designated off-leash exercise areas will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

2.

As a condition of admission to such dog exercise areas, the person responsible for such dog(s) shall use a suitable container or instrument to remove dog feces and shall dispose of it in waste containers for that purpose.

3.

Aggressive dogs are not permitted. Persons responsible for such dogs are legally responsible for any injury caused by their dog(s)

4.

Any dog(s) which has been declared vicious under Section 6.16.250 of this Chapter, or any other state law or local ordinance, is not permitted. Persons responsible for such dogs are legally responsible for any injury caused by their dog(s).

5.

All persons responsible for dogs must keep their dogs under visual and voice control at all times.

6.

Dogs shall not be left unattended.

7.

Dogs under four (4) months old are not permitted.

8.

All dogs must have current vaccinations and licenses.

9.

Female dogs in estrus (heat cycle) are not permitted.

10.

Professional dog trainers may not use the dog exercise areas to conduct classes or individual instruction.

11.

Professional dog handlers and walkers shall have a City business license.

12.

Children shall be accompanied by an adult and shall not run, shout, scream, wave their arms, or otherwise excite or antagonize dogs.

13.

Bicycles, rollerblades, roller skates, skateboards, strollers and the like, are not permitted. Wheelchairs and other aids for the disabled are permitted.

14.

Spiked collars on dogs are not permitted.

15.

A person responsible for a dog must have in his/her possession a leash for the dog which shall be worn by the dog at all times that the dog is not in the exercise areas.

16.

A person responsible for a dog shall otherwise comply with all rules governing the parks and relevant parking regulations.

17.

Use of the exercise areas by any person responsible for a dog shall constitute implied consent of that person to all regulations and shall constitute a waiver of liability to the City of Long Beach and an agreement to protect, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the City of Long Beach, its officials and employees for any injury or damage caused by a dog when the dog is not on its leash.

18.

No person shall play any team sport including, but not limited to, football, baseball, soccer, rugby and volleyball within the exercise area. The use of a frisbee is permitted.

E.

A person responsible for a dog may be deemed to have violated Subsection A. of this Section, when the violation was not committed in the presence of the Director or Animal Care Services Bureau enforcement officer(s) or inspector(s) if three (3) or more persons have submitted, within a one (1) year period, declarations signed, under penalty of perjury, that the violation(s) was committed in their presence.

(ORD-09-0022, § 5, 2009)