The future looks increasingly bright for seals at the Children's Pool in La Jolla after a Superior Court judge yesterday set aside an order telling San Diego to remove the animals so people can more easily use the beach. That means harbor seals can keep sunning themselves in the protected cove at least until an Oct. 6 hearing — and probably a lot longer. City officials were poised to scare off the seals with the amplified sound of barking dogs yesterday morning until Judge Yuri Hofmann said the matter needed more consideration in light of state legislation signed Monday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The new law gives the City Council the power to decide the best use of the cove, starting in January. The majority of council members seem inclined to preserve the area as a seal sanctuary, and some analysts said Hofmann is unlikely to evict the seals from their home.
“It's just not plausible to order the city to remove the seals for a two- or three-month period, when the city in January could decide to make the cove a seal sanctuary and the seals would just return,” said David Steinberg, a law professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego. La Jolla Friends of the Seals and other groups have staged pro-seal rallies since Monday in support of the seals. The turnout has been great and enthusiastic with lots of press.
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/jul/24/hold-barking-dogs-judge-tells-city/La Jolla Friends of the Seals
We are at a critical point and need volunteers to help protect the seals and this unique marine mammal habitat.
http://www.lajollafriendsoftheseals.org/