La Jolla is a treasure — a coastal gem renowned for its beauty, charm and world-class quality of life. Yet, a growing issue threatens to mar this picturesque paradise: dog waste left on sidewalks and the relentless marking by male dogs.
These behaviors not only compromise our community’s cleanliness but pose serious health and environmental risks.
Enhance La Jolla, a nonprofit dedicated to maintaining our community’s pristine environment, spends a disproportionate amount of time and resources addressing this issue. Day after day, its teams clean sidewalks, streets and public spaces sullied by dogs with irresponsible owners. Dog feces and urine cleanups have become the single largest recurring task — an unnecessary burden that we as a community must address.
Health risks of dog waste
Dog waste is not only unpleasant, it’s a public health hazard. Dog feces can carry harmful bacteria, parasites and pathogens such as E. coli, salmonella and roundworms, which can contaminate water sources and spread disease to humans and pets alike.
Urine, while less visible, causes long-term damage to landscaping, creates unpleasant odors and contributes to the degradation of public spaces.
Call to action
We are urging all La Jolla residents to take a stand against this issue. Dog owners: Picking up after your dog is not just common courtesy, it is the law. Allowing your male dog to repeatedly mark public spaces with urine is an avoidable nuisance that contributes to lasting damage in our shared environment.
Here’s what you can do to help:
• Pick up after your dog. Always carry waste bags and dispose of them properly. There are no excuses —many public spaces provide convenient waste stations.
• Curb urine marking. Train your dogs not to mark excessively in public spaces, especially on sidewalks, building walls and landscaping.
• Report violations. Enhance La Jolla encourages residents to report repeat offenders to local authorities. Health and environmental abs should be held able for their actions. the San Diego Police Department for enforcement.
ing a cleaner La Jolla
We applaud the efforts of Enhance La Jolla teams for their tireless work in keeping our community clean. However, their resources should be spent enhancing our neighborhood, not continually cleaning up preventable messes. Let’s show our by being responsible dog owners and reporting those who are not.
Together, we can uphold the beauty and health of La Jolla, ensuring it remains a vibrant and welcoming community for all — two-legged and four-legged alike. Let’s treat our shared spaces with the respect they deserve.
Ed Witt is president of Enhance La Jolla. ♦
