A dog running on the beach is such a classic scene – in real life and the movies – that it seems crazy that it’s illegal to bring a dog to the beach. But it’s true, dogs are not allowed on L.A. County beaches (service dogs are OK).

The main reason? Dog poop. Dog waste contributes to bacteria levels of ocean water that often exceeds “total maximum daily loads.” Basically it’s a health hazard.

A new enforcement team will be patrolling beaches to enforce the ban on dogs and many other beach laws you may not know about.

See more key laws about the beach at our Beachgoer page and key laws about pets at our Pet Owner page.