Here he is:
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I’ve never seen anything like that in a signature line.
In other news, Charlie lives – he just got a life sentence on a farm someplace after his mouthpiece struck a plea bargain with Dennis Herrera and the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office.
But, come to think of it, attorney John Mounier is actually “The Animal Attacker Protector,” IRL.
Oh well.
You see this? This is JFK Jr. Drive in Golden Gate Park from over the weekend:
Another great nature shot from famous San Francisco photographer David Cruz. As always, He’s Everywhere You Want To Be
So this is a good time to review the rules:
“Can my dog walk around the park with me beyond the designated off-leash areas?
Yes, your four-legged friend may accompany you throughout the park if you both obey the leash laws of California.”
Otherwise, you’ll become another derided dog owner, like this one:
Remember, as soon as you use the term “voice control” you lose…
Little dog crossing as well. Bonus:
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This was the scene last night at the famous Micky D’s at the end of Haight Street at Stanyan near famous Hippy Hill.
I passed by two pit-bull-looking dogs outside at the rear entrance, two pit-bull-looking dogs inside the store with owners on the way to the bathroom, two pit-bull-looking dogs with owners in line to buy food,* and two pit-bull-looking dogs as I exited out the front steps.**
Now, some of them might have been less than a year old, mere pups I suppose, and some of them might have been presa canarios or whathaveyou, but goddam, I didn’t expect to encounter eight fighting dogs*** in one minute at one McDonalds.
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I’m not particularly afraid of dogs at all and I’ve never been bitten, but that was my reaction.
And here’s an update – the Dollar Menu is still there but it’s not as prominent as before, as if they don’t want you to see it, it seems.
See you in about a year or so, Haight Street McDonalds.
*At this point, I was looking for an exit strategy, like if they all went Hera and Bane on me, I’d have hopped on one of the counters, that kind of thing.
** Sans food. I was going to get a large order of fries and two side salads for $4-something for a special lady friend but the line was kind of long and there was some kind of kerfuffle going on so I said the Hell with this and left for the WF right across the street.
***The most I’ve seen in one place at one time.
Woof woof:
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The Center for Biological Diversity is crowing about more room being designated for the Western Snowy Plover along the west coast.
San Francisco isn’t getting more space for these critters but they already have as much as they need here now, not that some area dog owners agree with the way things are these days.
Anyway, here are some San Francisco Snowy Plovers and the also the deets of the new agreement with the Feds are below.
(Oh, and remember, as always, plover rhymes with lover.)
A snowy plover on Ocean Beach _not_ being harassed by a dog:
Now, Ocean Beach Dog, ooh, somebody over there got an off-leash ticket from the Feds a looooong time ago. (Can you guess what year by looking at the website design? Sure you can.) Oh well. Well, the Feds don’t like Ocean Beach Dog and people what behave like Ocean Beach Dog. The Feds consider us Whacko City, USA because of outfits like OBD, oh well.
Most dogs don’t bother the boids, of course. Can you see the snowy plover?
But some dogs do harass the birds. (These aren’t actually snowy plovers near Lawton and the Great Highway but the dogs don’t know or care about that.)
(Get those Ocean Beach birds, good boy!)
And here’s the sitch up in Crissy Field:
See the birds, see the unleashed dog?
Is is surprising to you that an unleashed dog could find and chase these plovers? What was surprising to me was to hear that this particular boid flew up from Morro Bay (where it was banded and which is like way south of here) all the way up to the Marina District:
Keep on keeping on, plovers:
“More Than 24,000 Acres of Critical Habitat Protected for Western Snowy Plover
PORTLAND, Ore.— In response to a Center for Biological Diversity lawsuit, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today designated 24,527 acres (38 square miles) of critical habitat to protect the Pacific Coast population of threatened western snowy plovers in Washington, Oregon and California.
“Protecting critical habitat will help this lovely shorebird continue on the path to recovery,” said Tierra Curry, a conservation biologist at the Center. “Species with federally protected habitat are more than twice as likely to be moving toward recovery than species without it, so this puts a big safety net between plovers and extinction.”
Western snowy plovers breed primarily on beaches in southern Washington, Oregon, California and Baja California. Today’s designation includes four critical habitat units in Washington (covering 6,077 acres), nine units in Oregon (covering 2,112 acres) and 47 units in California (covering 16,337 acres).
Snowy plovers were listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in 1993, when the coastal population had dropped to 1,500 birds and plovers no longer bred at nearly two-thirds of their former nesting sites. That Endangered Species Act protection allowed the population to increase to more than 3,600 adults by 2010.
Plovers are recovering but still face many threats, including widespread and frequent disturbance of nesting sites by humans, vehicles and off-leash dogs; crushing by off-road vehicles; global climate change; pesticide use; and habitat loss.
The western snowy plover was first granted 19,474 acres of critical habitat in 1999. In 2005 the Bush administration illegally reduced the critical habitat to 12,145 acres, eliminating protection for thousands of acres scientists believed necessary for the snowy plover’s survival and abandoning key habitat areas crucial for recovery. In 2008 the Center sued over the unlawful reduction of the plover’s habitat protections, leading to a settlement agreement with the Service and today’s revised designation.
Today’s final rule includes the reinstatement of habitat areas identified by government scientists as essential that were improperly withdrawn in 2005; inclusion of some areas not currently occupied by plovers but important for their recovery; and addition of habitats such as back-dune systems in an attempt to offset anticipated effects of sea-level rise caused by climate change.
The western snowy plover is a shy, pocket-sized shorebird that weighs less than two ounces and lives for three years. Plovers forage for worms, insects and crustaceans in wet sand and in kelp that has washed ashore. The word “plover” is thought to come from the Old French”plovier” or “rain bird” because plovers were seen on sandy French beaches during spring rains.
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 375,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.”
Oh, and also remember that San Francisco is for Plovers:
Via SFist comes news of a short video of a dog-coyote interaction in Golden Gate Park. (This is news to me, anyway. Thanks, Norimitsu Onishi of the New York Times.)
Here’s your problem, it’s yet another off-leash dog in Glen Park:
Now, how would this affair end up getting described by a bad dog owner to, I don’t know, a simple-minded reporter the likes of CW Nevius?
Coyotes aren’t dangerous, dogs are dangerous.
“Animal Care & Control Concerned About Coyote Interactions
San Francisco – San Franciscans do not seem to be getting the message about how to coexist peacefully with local wildlife.
San Francisco Animal Care & Control has been notified about individuals who still allow their dogs illegally off -leash in active coyote areas despite education, posters, flyers, signs and barriers all warning dog owners to abide by the law and keep their dogs on-leash or, better yet, avoid the marked areas entirely. These irresponsible individuals are putting themselves, their dogs, and the coyotes and their pups at great risk (see video link below). Accordingly, after seeking expert advice and in collaboration with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, San Francisco Animal Care & Control suggested closure of locations in Golden Gate Park where coyotes appear to be anxiously protecting dens.
San Franciscans share natural places with a variety of wildlife, including coyotes. Temporary park closures are for the comfort and safety of people, pets and wildlife during breeding season. Birthing and pup rearing has the local coyotes feeling hormonally more protective which may result in more assertive behavior (as in the video). Our goals are to give coyote families temporary relief from stress (dogs) while ensuring public safety. Preventing confrontations such as this is the best policy.
San Francisco Animal Care & Control receives many inquiries about options for removing the coyotes. Relocation is illegal under CA State law. It is also inhumane. Lethal removal is ineffective and unethical since another coyote will simply take its place, often within weeks. San Francisco Animal Care & Control and coyote experts feel that the local coyotes are here to stay and their hope is that the community learns to peacefully coexist with them.
San Francisco Animal Care & Control encourages the community to be responsible pet guardians; leash dogs where required and respect temporary park closures. Wildlife in San Francisco needs a little breathing room while its young are present. Urban wildlife is part of the health of San Francisco’s parks – part of the heritage and history of our area – and coexistence is possible with a little give-and-take.Link to film of dogs harassing coyotes in San Francisco:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9vmpgzF8sU&list=UUtZ-dJ3bfs61GpS-9p9rpJQ&index=1&feature=p1cp
The Department of Animal Care & Control is a taxpayer-funded, open door animal shelter. ACC provides housing, care and medical treatment to wild, exotic and domestic stray, lost, abandoned sick, injured and/or surrendered animals. ACC aims to rehome or reunite domestic animals with their guardians and to rehabilitate and release wildlife to their native habitat. ACC responds to animal related emergencies 24/7 including animal abuse and neglect as well as matters of public safety. Animal Care & Control is located at 1200 15th St. (at Harrison.)
Deb Campbell
Volunteer / Outreach Coordinator
Animal Care & Control
1200 15th Street
San Francisco, CA. 94103
Phone:415.554.9427
Fax: 415.557.9950
E.Mail: deb.campbell@sfgov.org
www.animalshelter.sfgov.org”
Look what Richmond District resident and photographer David Cruz spotted yesterday afternoon:
“Early this morning, I was walking through the forrest on the West end of Golden Gate Park when I saw 2 ears and 2 eyes watching me. I stood still and was able to take a few pictures.
Big ears like an Easter Bunny but it turned to be an Easter coyote 
Via David Cruz – click to expand
I’ve never been this close to a coyote in San Francisco and I haven’t seen any lately…
It’s good to know that San Francisco’s urban coyotes can live in peace out there…
