Cochrane off-leash dog park users Jim Uffelmann and Sandy Chilton have expressed concerns over the interpretation of the ‘multi-use’ aspect of the off-leash park that runs along the Bow River, extending from the community of Riverview.
The absence of signage in the park, reminding cyclists of speed limits and others that the particular stretch of space must be shared with all users, including the four-legged ones, is something that both users expressed.
“My concern is just that everyone needs to be aware of the multi-user aspect of the park,” said Chilton, a daily off-leash park user with her Australian Shepherd-cross.
“The fact is you’re in an ‘off-leash dog park’, if you don’t like dogs, I don’t know if that’s the best place for you to be walking.”
Chilton, also a runner, added that there’s a degree of common sense that runners, cyclists and other park users may be better served to take into account when sharing space with the canine persuasion, including moving around dogs instead of expecting dogs to respond like a person.
Laurie Drukier, communications officer with the Town of Cochrane, said that the town has been working on signage and is looking to put up signs highlighting the multi-user aspects of the park sometime this summer — including speed limit signs of 20 km/hr.
“The onus is always on the dogs,” said Uffelmann, a daily park user with his Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Lulu.
Uffelmann brought up the notion of proper signage around two years ago as part of his presentation to council on the preservation of the off-leash space, including signage to remind dog owners of their duties to pick up after and manage their pets.
He also said it would be respectful for the town to better communicate with park users about special events that require use of the pathway through the park —including Footstock, which sees hundreds of users running through the park each spring, and has rarely given more than 24 hours notice, if any at all.
“The more people scared to go to the dog park, the more poorly socialized dogs we’re going to have.”
Both users shared some of their negative experiences, as well as the experiences relayed to them by fellow park users, including confrontations with non-dog owners, speeding cyclists and unfriendly runners infuriated over having to move an inch for a dog.
Both also shared their largely positive experiences at the off-leash park.
Uffelmann has also taken issue with the Animal Bylaw that was enacted in February 2013, expressing concern over the lack of public consultation prior to implementing the bylaw.
“I don’t think it was well-written and I don’t think it should have been passed without community input,” said Uffelmann, who would like to see the town revisit the bylaw.
Areas of the bylaw that Uffelmann said were poorly worded or unclear include what defines aggressive behaviour in a dog versus instinct and the use of Dr. Ian Dunbar’s ‘New Aggression Scale’; granting authority to the senior manager of protective services (currently Mac de Beaudrap, also Fire Services Chief) to deem a ‘nuisance animal’; the vagueness in addressing dog attacks that take place within residences (the most common place for dog attacks); and dog walking services — such as limits on the number of dogs one individual can reasonably manage.
Uffelmann said the town held an open house on the Animal Bylaw over the 2012 Christmas holidays, which was poorly advertised and attended.
Charlene Ruttle, senior manager of municipal enforcement, said the bylaw is best used as an overarching guideline to aid bylaw officers and those concerned.
“No matter what happens there’s a full investigation that takes place,” said Ruttle, adding that an increase in incidents in the off-leash park can largely be attributed to an exploding population in Cochrane.
Ruttle said that each incident is unique and it’s during the course of an investigation that the specifics of a case come forward, adding that it’s normal to have an adjustment period following the implementation of a bylaw.
With respect to an animal being declared a ‘nuisance animal’ by the senior manager of protective services, Ruttle said each instance would see the senior manager consulting with a bylaw officer and that each case is reviewed on an annual basis.
To learn more about the Animal Bylaw 16/2012, visit the town’s website, cochrane.ca.
