July 7, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Santa Monica City Council: Snakes On A Plan:

We often anguish over decisions involving animals here in Santa Monica, such as the recent business involving pony rides at the Main Street farmer’s market.

But a quick and tidy ordinance passed unanimously by the City Council demonstrates that we aren’t always bogged-down by looking at every conceivable angle over and over again when it comes to what we might call rights for non-humans. Because sometimes, a big snake is just a big snake… not something that deserves long hours of City Council hand-wringing.

The Council has voted unanimously to ban exotic animal handlers from exhibiting their reptile and exotic bird pets – oh, and no monkeys, either – in all City parks and sidewalks adjacent to the parks, beaches, Oceanfront Walk, the Pier and Pier ramp, Third Street Promenade, and Transit Mall.

Put another way, those of you hoping to get a shot of yourself draped in a boa constrictor either on your next picnic or visit to the Apple store are in for some disappointment. It turns out that all of outdoor Santa Monica is neither a zoo or a carnival midway or an embarrassment of city indulgence.

Was there ever an argument? If on the way to the Pier merry-go-round your youngster were to view a big snake or lizard that forever made it impossible to get them to go to bed at night without screaming in their sleep, that might possibly be construed as an educational experience.

However tourists from around the world might have come to the famous Santa Monica Pier only to be greeted by a live buffet of reptiles on blankets and gone home wondering why our city would allow such a low-rent exhibition just to prove that we believe snakes have rights.

Was some kind of tradition on display? One could argue that a live lizard resting on some dude’s heavily tattooed shoulder is an iconic symbol of the freedom found in beach culture. I mean, beachfront vendors profit from selling toy VW hippie vans, pot smoking gear, and little surfboard replicas. Shouldn’t Lloyd and his iguana Suzie be allowed to integrate with the public and ask for some spare change… you know, for iguana chow?

Uh, no. Exotic pets may be a small but recurring element in beach life culture, if we agree that such a culture exists and further that we need to fully represent it. But if I lived in Santa Monica and owned a camel, would you want me to bring my camel to the Pier on weekends? You know, so that for a small donation it could shriek at the top of its lungs and spray spit on the crowds? What about cleaning up after a camel? I assume that would be my responsibility as the camel’s owner. If you think a snake stirs the imagination of really young kids, see how many questions they bombard you with after watching a camel defecate on what was otherwise – up to that moment – a wonderful family afternoon at the beach. Just try changing the subject during that conversation; I dare you.

All right, but…what about dogs getting to go everywhere? We bend over backwards in Santa Monica for dogs, even building them their own parks, and yet we do nothing for snakes? I think, as in the slug line in the dog food commercial, that “Dogs Rule.” And that’s just a hard fact of life that reptiles and exotic birds are going to have to learn to deal with. Historically once dogs had set-up shop in our homes, with their own beds and food and toys, it became much harder for iguanas to lay claim to what we might call “dog privilege.”

Additionally the man-made world, both indoors and out, is now the actual environment of dogs.

According to veterinarians, that’s not true for exotic reptiles and birds.

Reporting in The Mirror by Mariella Rudi included a vet’s statement that the exotics can be “habituated” but they will never become “domesticated.” Snakes and exotic birds will accept that you, their owner, are around and might be carrying some tasty treats. Dogs actually set their little dog watchers to when you come home from work and they want to be with you. Otherwise, they wouldn’t spend so much time straightening-up the sofa they’ve been lying on before you get home.

The City Council has done us two favors, really. They have banned the brandishing of snakes and exotic birds at public locations where the owners can intimidate tourists into making contributions and tips. That makes access to the Pier and being out in our city a bit less tacky. Then the Council didn’t dwell on making a decision, which likely saved us from emotional testimony about how iguanas can actually demonstrate love to their owners. At one point, there was apparently somebody bringing a monkey to the Pier and maybe that encounter could make a big moment in a day for a kid.

But the most recent update I’ve had on how it’s going between humans and primates, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” made it look like things are still a little bumpy in that particular relationship.

in Opinion
<>Related Posts

SM.a.r.t.Column: Happy Fourth of July 

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

SMart (Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow) hopes you are enjoying a great 3-day weekend as part of your...

SM.a.r.t Column: Cities That Never Shut Up – The Roaring Cost of Urban Noise

June 26, 2025

June 26, 2025

In today’s cities, silence isn’t golden—it’s extinct. From sunrise to insomnia, we’re trapped in a nonstop symphony of shrieking car...

SM.a.r.t Column: Santa Monica Needs to See the Light

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

How Santa Monica’s Growing Light Pollution Is Eroding Human Health, Safety, and Sanity There was a time when our coastal...

SM.a.r.t Column: California’s Transit Death Spiral: How Housing Mandates Are Backfiring

June 15, 2025

June 15, 2025

California’s ambitious housing mandates were supposed to solve the affordability crisis. Instead, they’re creating a vicious cycle that’s killing public...

SM.a.r.t. Column: A City Dying by a Thousand Cuts

June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025

Santa Monica, once celebrated for its blend of coastal charm and progressive ideals, is slowly bleeding out — not from...

SM.a.r.t Column: Oops!! What Happened? And What Are You Going to Do About It?

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Our Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow (SMa.r.t) articles have, over the past 12 years, collectively presented a critical...

SM.a.r.t Column: Why Santa Monica Might Need a Desalination Plant, and Maybe Even Nuclear Power

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

Santa Monica is known for its ocean views, sunny skies, and strong environmental values. But there’s a challenge on the...

SM.a.r.t Column: SMO (So Many Options) Part 3: “Pie in the Sky”

May 17, 2025

May 17, 2025

SMO: Fantasy, Fact, and the Fog of Wishful ThinkingBy someone who read the fine print Every few months, a headline...

SM.a.r.t. Column: Owner Occupancy Protects Against Corporate Over-Development

May 2, 2025

May 2, 2025

This week SMa.r.t. will have as guest columnist Mark Borenstein. Mark is a long-time Santa Monica resident, a retired attorney,...

Opinion: Declaration of Economic State of Emergency in Malibu & Pacific Palisades: A Direct Result of the Devastating Impact of the Palisades Fire

April 27, 2025

April 27, 2025

Malibu and Pacific Palisades Request Emergency Financial Measures By Ramis Sadrieh, Chairperson, Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce    On behalf...

SM.a.r.t Column: The World’s Happiest Cities

April 27, 2025

April 27, 2025

Almost every year, we see new cities, regions, and countries that make the list(s) of our planet’s happiest and healthiest...

SM.a.r.t Column: A City for Everyone

April 20, 2025

April 20, 2025

Santa Monica dazzles with its ocean views, sunshine, and laid-back charm. But beyond the postcard image lies a more complicated...

SM.a.r.t Column: Part II: Rebuilding Resilient Communities: Policy and Planning After the Fires

April 13, 2025

April 13, 2025

The January 2025 wildfires that devastated Pacific Palisades and Altadena left an indelible mark on Los Angeles County. Beyond the...

SM.a.r.t Column: Innovative Materials for Fire-Resistant Rebuilding After the LA Fires

April 6, 2025

April 6, 2025

In the aftermath of the devastating 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, homeowners face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives and...

Opinion: Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath Community Column Regarding a More Accountable Homeless Services System

April 3, 2025

April 3, 2025

By Lindsay Horvath, Los Angeles Board of Supervisors This week marks a significant milestone in our fight to end homelessness...