Enhance La Jolla President Ed Witt sounds off about the risks of not picking up after your pet.

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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 also 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, our teams clean sidewalks, streets and public spaces sullied by irresponsible dog owners. Dog feces and urine cleanups have become our 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.

This behavior is not just unsightly; it is a breach of basic public health standards and civic responsibility.

The 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 also 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 abusers should be held accountable for their actions. Contact the San Diego County Department of Animal Services at (619) 236-2341.

Supporting a cleaner La Jolla

Many applaud the efforts of Enhance La Jolla for our 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 support 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, Enhance La Jolla

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