The City Council on Jan. 22 unanimously approved an update to the Municipal Code to update animal control regulations, including dog licensing.
In 2021, Long Beach notified Seal Beach that the cost of animal control services would increase, according to the staff report by Seal Beach Police Capt. Nick Nicholas.
Then the staff looked at Seal Beach’s options: staying with Long Beach, hiring another animal control service, rebuilding a new in-house animal control program.
“In May of 2022, several options were provided by staff to the City Council, and it was the Council’s direction to bring Animal Control services back to an internal Seal Beach program. The in-house, City of Seal Beach Animal Control program went live on July 1, 2023,” Nicholas wrote.
[See “Animal Control program to start July 1,” at sunnews.org. The city issued a press release announcing the new program on the Thursday after July 1.]
“After several weeks of delivering a high level of Animal Control services to our community, our staff determined that the Seal Beach Municipal Code should be updated to clarify dog licensing, rabies control, and other animal control regulations,” Nicholas wrote.
“These proposed updates are critical to the successful operation of the Seal Beach Animal Control Program. Licensing dogs is an essential practice that significantly contributes to the well-being of both pets and their owners. It is estimated that approximately one (1) out of every three (3) pets will become lost at some point during their lifetime. Even the most responsible pet owners can find themselves unexpectedly separated from their beloved companions due to unforeseen circumstances. Unpredictable accidents, such as a pet becoming frightened by fireworks or slipping through an open door, can lead to their disappearance. Without proper pet identification, a staggering 90% of lost pets may never be reunited with their owners,” Nicholas wrote.
According to Nicholas, the SBPD’s Support services captain, licensing acts as proof that pets have been vaccinated against rabies.
His report also argued that licensing promotes responsible pet ownership.
“The ordinance would also prohibit feeding non-domesticated animals, with certain exceptions for birds, prohibit dogs on school property except for service dogs and dogs invited by school administration. Finally, the ordinance would prohibit animals on City beaches and the jetty, with certain exceptions for service dogs or dogs engaged in official duties,” Nicholas wrote.
