The city of San Diego wants to use tape recordings of barking dogs to try to drive the harbor seals away from Children's Pool in La Jolla. The tactic was debated at a court hearing Wednesday morning.
Judge Yuri Hoffman said the city must clear out the seal colony at the Children's Pool. But he ruled that the city and the lawyer who wants the seals removed should come up with another, possibly cheaper and less disruptive way to chase away the seals than to use tape recorded sounds of barking dogs.
The tactic would have cost about $700,000.
The judge will consider other methods at a June 15 hearing. Meanwhile, the seals can stay on the sands and in the water at the Children's Pool.
