Dogs Allowed in Downtown Santa Cruz, Except If They Are With Panhandlers

As of Aug. 31, Santa Cruzans will be able to walk their dogs down Pacific Avenue. But panhandlers will need to leave their pups behind.

At its 3 p.m. meeting on Tuesday, the Santa Cruz City Council unanimously adopted the final draft of the “Trial Suspension of the Prohibition of Dogs in Downtown Santa Cruz.” It included an amendment which states panhandlers cannot have dogs, with council members and speakers stating they want to insure public comfort and not exploit the animals. 

“We don’t want to exploit the dogs as a reason to raise money,” said Scott Kennedy from the City Manager's Office, responding to a couple skeptical council members who questioned why it matters whether or not a panhandler keeps a dog by their side.

The three-month trial ordinance furthermore states that dogs will also have to be within three feet of their owners, and packs of three or more pups will not be allowed. Owners must also have the required documentation related to their dogs’ vaccines.

A draft of the ordinance was voted on two weeks ago, ending a contentious thirty-year ban on dogs downtown. Before adopting the final ordinance Tuesday, council members centered the bulk of their conversation on panhandlers and their dogs.

“People would feel threatened by dogs downtown in general,” said “Chip”, head of the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz, referring to a survey the association made of its members’ concerns about the amendment.

“Dogs could also block the sidewalk,” said Mayor Ryan Coonerty.

Vice Mayor Lane voted against the ordinance , telling Santa Cruz Patch that, “Some of the folks who are panhandling, they have a dog and they don’t have anywhere else to take them.”

Yet on Tuesday, he changed his vote, stating that the ordinance was worth testing for the three-month trial period.  If the council members are satisfied with the test run, they will vote on a permanent ordinance to go into affect in November.