City cracking down on owners who allow dogs off-leash
Pet owners respect other park users
It's not about bylaw enforcement officers unfairly targeting dog owners, it's about keeping local parks safe and respecting all park users, says Carol Cormier, manager of parks standards and innovation for the city's parks, forestry and recreation department.
Despite the Beach having the highest concentration of off-leash areas in the city, bylaw officers still recently handed out almost 20 tickets to dog owners at Kew Gardens Park, which is not a designated off-leash area.
The fine for having a dog at large in a non-designated area is $305 with an $80 victim surcharge, while the fine for having a dog in a park without a leash is $255 plus a $65 victim surcharge, which is set by the Ministry of the Attorney General.
"Dogs are in parks year-round 24-7 so this is an ongoing issue. And when the weather gets warmer there are more and more people out," Cormier said.
"You have to respect all the other park users. It's about safety. This is a public education campaign on responsible pet ownership."
Despite the recent crackdown, Cormier said that dog owners are important park users as well.
"They play a key role in park safety," she said.
"We need to find a balance in parks and mutual respect. In some cases you have to enforce the bylaw."
Ward 32 (Beaches-East York) Councillor Sandra Bussin said that problems with dogs illegally off-leash is an issue every year in her ward.
"There's really no reason for people to have their dog off-leash (in a non-designated area)," she said, adding she's an animal lover as well.
"It shouldn't be an issue because we're providing the most off-leash resources in the city."
Bussin also said that ticketing dog owners has become a highly sensitive issue as dog owners and dog walkers increasingly refuse to divulge their identities and forewarn each other by cellphone if enforcement officers are in a non-designated park.
"It's becoming a more and more difficult challenge because of technology," she said, adding that in the last few weeks someone has been painting out the "leash" on the new "no off-leash" signs along the Boardwalk.
"The bylaws are reasonable, rational and they're here to protect people. I get these calls every year."
