I live at the beach in Live Oak, CA and am very aware of some of the problems associated with dogs on the beach and understand the concerns addressed in a recent article.

I also believe the incidents are infrequent and in the 10 years I’ve lived here, I have seen a positive change in the attitude of the local dog owner community.

The beach here has long been recognized as an off-leash haven, despite the law, which also prohibits fireworks, littering, glass containers, alcohol and bonfires. I have never seen efforts by the county to monitor activities that include these.

Why punish an entire community of happy frolicking dogs and responsible dog owners for the actions of a few rotten tomatoes? There are other ways to address this issue such as off-leash hours or joining community efforts to promote public awareness and pro-active measures in keeping our beaches and parks clean and safe for everyone.

One such group is Live Oak Beach Club for which information can be found on Facebook.

It’s not unusual to see a group of these local dog owners picking up the trash and broken glass left in smoldering bonfires by drunken revelers from the night before. And no, they don’t leave their waste in bags.

Letter by Marion Morris, member of Life Oak Beach Club, published 1-29-2012 in Santa Cruz Sentinel, B2