FUSS OVER FREE-RUNNING DOGS OFFICIALS PROMISE TO DO SURVEY FOR POSSIBLE CANINE PARK.Byline: Eugene Tong tong 1 tr.v. tonged, tong·ing, tongs To seize, hold, or manipulate with tongs. [Back-formation from tongs. Staff Writer STEVENSON RANCH Stevenson Ranch, California (in the 91381 ZIP Code) is a Los Angeles County, USA, unincorporated community west of Santa Clarita a few miles south of Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. The Stevenson Ranch fountain was redone in 2007. - While county parks officials attempt to develop a dog park policy, police have cracked down on residents who routinely defy the law by allowing their canines to roam free at a local park. Visitors at Richard Rioux Memorial Park on Monday reported up to three county police squad cars congregating con·gre·gate tr. & intr.v. con·gre·gat·ed, con·gre·gat·ing, con·gre·gates To bring or come together in a group, crowd, or assembly. See Synonyms at gather. adj. 1. Gathered; assembled. 2. there at sunset, where an informal group of dog lovers have been letting their pets run off-leash inside a fenced picnic area. ``I was really surprised to see two police (officers) talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to one another in the parking lot,'' said Christine Head, 35, who was walking her dog there Monday. ``After that, another police officer came up. ... I wasn't going to let my dog off leash seeing that. ``How many does it take really? They're acting like we're criminals or something.'' Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Police Capt. Paul Gallo, who oversees county parks throughout the Stevenson Ranch and Castaic areas, said Tuesday officers have stepped up patrols at Rioux Park in recent weeks after they received complaints from the county Department of Parks and Recreation. ``They've had to call the police,'' said Gallo, who is based at Castaic Lake Castaic Lake is a lake on Castaic Creek formed by Castaic Dam, in northwestern Los Angeles County, California, near the town of Castaic. The 323,700 acre foot lake (399,000,000 m³) is the terminus of the West Branch of the California Aqueduct, though some comes from the 154 mi² . ``There were near-physical confrontations between the dog owners and the staff. ``It's not like there are six officers swooping down there to handle this thing. Since this is a highly charged issue, we want to make sure that there is a supervising presence.'' Since the crackdown, officers have issued numerous warnings and cited one dog owner for violating county leash laws leash law n. An ordinance requiring that dogs be kept on a leash when not restricted to their owners' property. , which carry fines of up to $250 and court appearances, Gallo said. ``There is a county ordinance that prohibits dogs from going off leash,'' he said. ``We have to be sensitive to the needs of everyone in the community, and not just one particular group.'' After prodding by local dog owners, the county Department of Parks and Recreation has promised to poll residents about designating Rioux Park an off-leash area. The agency also is developing a dog park policy for the county. ``It comes up from time to time, and it has never really gone very far,'' said Sheila Ortega, a parks department spokeswoman. ``But this time, we're going in to develop a survey and take a really serious look at it.'' Ortega expects the survey will be completed by early December. ``Now we're waiting to see what's going to happen,'' said Elayne Hersovici, a Stevenson Ranch dog owner who petitioned 5th District County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich Michael Dennis Antonovich (born 1939 in Los Angeles, California) is a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors representing the Fifth District, which covers northern Los Angeles County, the Antelope, Santa Clarita, Pasadena, and parts of the San Fernando and San to make Rioux Park off-leash. ``You said you're gong gong, percussion instrument consisting of a disk, usually with upturned edges, 3 ft (91 cm) or more in diameter in the modern orchestra, often made of bronze, and struck with a felt- or leather-covered mallet or drumstick. to do something, what are you going to do?'' Meantime, Head and her three dogs have to settle for the back yard at her home of two years. ``As a taxpayer, I just wish there was some kind of outlet for dogs,'' she said. ``We just really don't have a place to let them run.'' Eugene Tong, (661) 257-5253 eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) The Richard Rioux park in Stevenson Ranch may someday have an area for unleashed dogs to run, but rules now require that all dogs there be on leashes. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
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