San Diego County Grand Jury
• 2023-2024
• Agency Response
Response to:
Maintaining San Diego's Sidewalks
Response to Findings:
⚠️ Aviso de traducción: Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 4 findings
F1
Not all animal control agencies with jurisdiction for animal control in the cities of San Diego County consistently report their dog bite information to San Diego County Animal Control for annual reporting to the California Department of Public Health. This finding applies to the cities of Coronado and Chula Vista. Therefore, a response is not provided.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Interviewed cities should submit to the County of San Diego reports about all dog bites within their jurisdictions annually. This recommendation applies to the cities of Coronado and Chula Vista. Therefore, a response is not provided.
F2
Public information concerning fines for violations of dog control ordinances is not available for all interviewed jurisdictions. Response: The Mayor and City Council disagree with the Grand Jury’s finding. The City of San Diego, through San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 4, section 44.0300, adopts the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances regarding dog control. Public information regarding fines for violations of these ordinances is available on the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego’s website as a downloadable PDF titled “Bail Schedule,” linked here: https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/sdcourt/criminal2/criminalresources. Consistent with the Superior Court of California Bail Schedule, San Diego Municipal Code section 12.0201 enumerates the maximum fines for convictions of criminal misdemeanors and infractions.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Interviewed cities and the County of San Diego should publicly post the fines associated with violations of ordinances concerning dogs. Response: The recommendation has been implemented. As noted in the City’s response to Finding 2 above, public information regarding fines for violations of these ordinances is available on the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego’s website as a downloadable PDF titled “Bail Schedule,” linked here: https://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/sdcourt/criminal2/criminalresources. The City of San Diego has also made the same information available to the public through its Parks and Recreation Department website, linked here: https://www.sandiego.gov/park- and-recreation/parks/dogs. The Superior Court has the sole discretion as to the actual imposition of fines and the amount.
F3
Providing the authorization to animal control officers to issue citations and fines would provide a method, short of a Dangerous Dog hearing, to incentivize owners to better control their dog’s behavior. Response: The Mayor and City Council disagree with the Grand Jury’s finding. Animal control officers already have authority to issue citations under section 62.662 of the San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances and section 44.0300 of the San Diego Municipal Code. Fines can only be assessed by the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Interviewed cities and the County of San Diego should develop regulations for a citation and fine process for the violations of animal control ordinances including when a dog bite is reported. Response: The recommendation has been implemented. The City of San Diego has a process in place to address violations of animal control ordinances. The San Diego Humane Society, the City's animal services contractor, is authorized to investigate dog bite incidents and issue citations for violations of these ordinances. Violators are subject to fines imposed by the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego.
F4
Public information about the presence of Dangerous Dogs in a neighborhood, particularly near public schools, is not readily available in San Diego County. This finding applies to the County of San Diego. Therefore, a response is not provided. RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATIONS:
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors direct the County Animal Control Division to develop a plan for collecting information about the location of a declared Dangerous Dog within the County and posting this information, so it is readily available to the public. This recommendation applies to the County of San Diego. Therefore, a response is not provided. 2