SASKATOON -- The city’s Planning and Development Committee reviewed an administration recommendation to limit the number of dogs a person can take to an off-leash dog park to four.
The move would prevent control issues that have been happening, Coun. Zach Jeffries said.
Another change would see dogs banned if they have three nuisance behaviour violations. A city report says dog owners run into instances where guilty parties continue to bring their dog back to the off-leash area, only to have further violations occur.
Those violations have to be serious and substantiated and not simply complaints against a dog, Jeffries said.
"If there's been an animal at one of our off-leash parks just hasn't been showing behaviour congruent with other dogs around, we'll make sure the bylaws are in place for that.”
Kevin Hannas, who has been taking his dog Reno to the off-leash dog park off Richardson Road in Hampton Village, said while most of his interactions with other dogs and dog owners have been perfectly fine, he does see validity in the changes.
"I think the four dogs per person is really good because it's too much for some people to take care of two dogs at a dog park and I think for people's safety, kids’ safety and dog's safety here at the park when there's lots of people here it's probably a good thing not to have violent dogs that people can't control.”
The city's administration also recommends prohibiting any smoking or vaping at an off-leash dog park.
The ideas stem from public consultations.
The proposed amendments to the Animal Control Bylaw still need to be approved by council when it meets at the end of the month.
