Refinement of dog walking law

San Francisco city hall

The SF Board of Supervisors approved on March 11, 2013 a refinement of the new law. Recall, the law passed in 2012, but is being written still by the Department of Animal Care, and will activate on July 1. Highlights of this refinement:

  • 4+ dogs requires permit, 8 dogs maximum
  • one leash per dog, at most 8 feet long
  • general liability insurance of at least $1 million throughout permit's duration
  • grandfathering: as for the training requirement, exempted is whoever by March 2013 has completed 3 running years of dog walking, either as a licensed business or worker for such

Click for the dog walking ordinance, an overview or the full text.

The limit of 8 would bite strongly a good portion of dog walkers, who have howled over this. The consequence of limiting supply will be predictable: dog walking rates will rise significantly, especially for experienced dog walkers. Of course, the supply will fall just on the basis of the training, insurance, and permit requirements. The limit is just the extra boost.

The grandfathering provision is farcical, as few will pass, even those with many years of experience. Why? Because most dog walkers have worked for themselves WITHOUT a license!

The permit's fee ($240 first year, $100 thereafter) has a logic. It is that, though licensed dog walkers have certain requirements (pick up their dogs' poop, preserve nature), they sometimes will violate them, so the city of SF can make up by sending city workers, paid by the permit revenue. That is, the permit costs something, the logic goes, so the city can allocate funds to clean up poop that dog walkers sometimes will not.

Now, I am all for the permit's fee and the logic, provided the permit revenue actually goes to what it is supposed to: keeping the city clean and natures preserved. Will we see city workers fixing brush in Fort Funston? Picking up poop along the sidewalks? We will see. What do you think?