Downtown LA Offers Artificial Turf Plots For Doggy Business
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — It's now a little easier for dogs to do their thing in downtown Los Angeles.
KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reports residents in the historic bank district are seeing patches of fake grass pop up, with the aim of giving local dogs some relief start to pop up around town.
Downtown LA Offers Artificial Turf Plots For Doggy Business
Launched in August, the pilot program from the Historic Downtown Business Improvement District has provided three 50-inch by 50-inch swaths of artificial grass laced with a special deodorizer at Sixth and Main, Seventh and Main, and Seventh and Spring streets. The plots are easy to hose down and feature a deodorizing compound that absorbs the ammonia in urine.
In addition to the "eco-safe, odor-neutralizing grassy plots," the business district has placed signs on garbage cans reminding owners not to allow any dog waste to go on "anything metal, a building, a planter, [or] the sidewalk."
Downtown resident and dog owner Ryan Hunter said most dog owners pick up after their dogs, but sees the strong stench of urine as the real problem.
"Walking through the streets of downtown, you definitely pick up a stench," said one resident.
"It absolutely needed to be addressed," said Blair Besten of the business district. "Any reduction is a success in our eyes."
More than one-third of all residents living in downtown L.A.'s "Historic Core" neighborhood own dogs, according to officials from the business district, which is funded by local tax assessments.
Downtown resident and dog owner Ryan Hunter said more places for dogs to go to the bathroom are needed.
"It would be awesome if we had more parks or places for the dogs to hang out," he said.
One idea the downtown district is exploring is a dog park in Pershing Square, according to Besten.
Despite the signage, however, some doggy deposits are still ending up along the sidewalk, leaving local workers like Howard Broadnax wondering what additional steps should be taken.
"Some more stations planted around town with the plastic bags and signs and that sort of thing, telling people there are going to be consequences if they don't pick up after their pets," Broadnax suggested.
