Dog leashing rules one step closer to reality

Coun. Cathy Heron has a heavy heart, and she took to Facebook to make her feelings known.

On Wednesday evening she posted a photo of her five-year-old German shepherd Mila, sitting on her haunches, staring up at a ball that's about to be launched through the air.

"I'm so sad this nightly activity will end with the new animal bylaw," Heron wrote. "Mila loves to chase her ball."

On Tuesday evening council gave two of the necessary three readings to its new animal bylaw that will, as of September 2014, require all dog owners to leash their dogs in public, except in specified areas. Third reading is expected April 15.

For Heron, the sole voice of dissent when it comes to reversing St. Albert's stance on leashing dogs, the pending change feels like unnecessary surgery.

"I've had a couple of questions about cats but before this, no one ever said that a dog bit me," Heron said. "Why are we fixing something that's not broken? It wasn't broken. Why are we even doing this?"

Of 15 people who spoke to council Tuesday night about the new animal bylaw, the majority asked for council to leave St. Albert's unique rules about leashing dogs alone. The city's current bylaw only requires dogs to be leashed where specified, making it what is believed to be the only municipality in Canada with such a bylaw.

"We have not had a problem identified. Yes there's concerns, but not a problem and I have not yet seen a rationale presented for why we need to reverse the leash bylaw," said Wayne Wilson, a self-described dog lover who spoke before council Tuesday night.

The requirement to leash dogs isn't the only provision of the new animal bylaw. It was Heron who originally called on the city to review the old bylaw, specifically with some thought to licensing cats. After consulting with the public and studying bylaws from other communities, administration came back with the new version late last year.

While the idea of licensing cats didn't fly, several other changes did. Besides leashing, the city will now fine $80 anyone who is out with a dog who cannot produce, on demand, a bag for cleaning up dog waste. Failing to pick up that waste will set a dog owner back $250.

The city will be able to more easily deem a dog dangerous and require owners of such dogs to take certain steps such as muzzling it in public. It will impose a late fee on dog owners who do not renew their dog licences by Jan. 30 of every year.

The city will attempt to enforce this bylaw with existing staff. However, if the level of complaints exceeds staffing capacity, the city will have to re-examine the number of bylaw officers it currently employs, council heard.

The issue of leashing dogs has generated the most comment from the public. The bylaw will create 20 off-leash areas – at least one in each neighbourhood of the city – where owners can let their dogs run free. Anyone caught with their dog off-leash where it should be on-leash can be fined $130.

But, Heron said, some of those parks are far enough away that people would need to drive there, she said. The park in her neighbourhood is one example.

"As just a resident, they are taking that away from me," said Heron. "There is more than one person that is really upset about it."

Coun. Wes Brodhead is not one of those people. In his opinion, striking a balance between freedom for dogs and safety for non-dog owners is more important than maintaining the status quo.

"People agree with the on-leash part," said Brodhead. "It's all about creating an environment for safety. It's not just for dog owners and their own dogs but for other dogs too."

But as the only person who voted against the bylaw in first and second reading, Heron believes she had a responsibility to try and change other councillors' minds, a responsibility she did not live up to.

"I feel like I've failed the residents that are really, really hurt by this," she said. "I'm the only voice on council they had and I failed them."

What they said ...

Wayne Wolinski

"At most risk are children and elderly people who are least able to defend themselves against an aggressive off-leash dog."

Wayne Wilson

"There's no indication the measures proposed will have any effect. It assumes that those who are not complying with the current law will comply with the new law so I don't think we can expect any great behavioural changes."

Grahame Allen

"I believe a section should be added that dog owners are responsible at all times for the behaviour of their dogs on any public or private property, including that of the dog owner."

Geoff Edgar

"To put the finest possible point on this, this council doesn't know what the result will be in terms of which areas will be off-leash. We don't know what the result will be. That leaves my wife and I in an odd position – we don't know if we support this bylaw."

Todd Savoie

"It comes down to some people showing a blatant intolerance for dogs. They don't want to share any space with dogs. Why do we even have to look at amending (the bylaw) and going from 145 parks to 20? If the park is unoccupied, why shouldn't I be able to play fetch with my dog? Why is that now an offence?"

Elana Aaserud

"We need a people bylaw, not a dog bylaw. I am really frightened to see a dog bylaw passed before the facilities are in place. I cannot see what I am going to get and I'm terrified. I walk with canes and I take my dogs with me on my scooter. I have to tell children to stay 10 feet away from me."

Mel Peeters

"To me there's an issue here in terms of rights and responsibilities. My wife is fearful of large dogs and I don't appreciate dogs coming up to me and drooling on my hands or smelling my feet."

Michelle Sutton

"I feel (this bylaw) pits neighbours against neighbours in a community we feel is inclusive for everyone. I like the notion of dog density – the more dogs you pack into a small area, the more incidents they will have."

Kent Pharis

"Animals are not predictable. It certainly sounds like the people here this evening understand their animals and I appreciate that. For me it would be really good to know which parks I can run through where I won't be accosted by a dog."

Patti McFarland

"People are trying to compartmentalize this as people vs. dogs. I'm worried that when you get too specific with some of these details, you are just going to have people against each other and they're not really going to resolve much."

Zack Andriuk

"This bylaw kind of ignores the need for exercise and mental stimulation of dogs. I think people that are complaining about dogs are a small vocal group that are terrified and I don't think there's any way to appease them and I don't think locking up all the dogs is the answer."

Brandel Rock

"What I feel, as a dog owner, is I've been put in the corner. I hear things like my dog doesn't pay taxes, I do. I have my dogs and their exercise is paramount to their wellbeing mentally and physically."