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Off-leash dog options are shrinking

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At the June 11, 2018 Regular Council meeting, resident Gail Hall asked the District about the Capital Region District Bylaw 4225 requiring leashing of dogs in CRD parks. Mrs. Hall stated that this means “Sooke has been hit hard by this bylaw.” Five of the 11 parks listed are in Sooke (see the list below, from the Pets in Parks CRD pamphlet).

The loss of off-leash access at the the potholes hits hard. Allowing a dog to run off-leash, besides giving them their much-needed exercise, also helps with their socialization. Mrs. Hall added that these dog walkers are often helping out tourists with directions and information, and on occasion are putting out abandoned fires.

On behalf of herself and other dog walkers, Mrs. Hall was asking that the district point out to the CRD the extent of the areas that have been removed for dog-owners. She was also asking for seasonal exceptions, seeing if it were possible that during the off-season, dog walkers can return to the potholes.

There was also discussion on a parameter, with Mayor Maja Tait noting that it made sense that dog walkers should have a point beyond which they are allowed to be off leash.

Councillor Kevin Pearson made a motion that CRD come to Sooke and give a presentation on their logic of the dog policy at the Potholes.

Councillor Kerrie Reay made the observation that some big off leash dogs have attacked individuals, and at the same time acknowledged that big dogs do need a place to run. She noted that the sweeping decision without speaking with the people of Sooke was unfortunate, as Ms. Hall raised a number of valid concerns.

Pearson’s motion carried unanimously.

Present: Mayor Maja Tait and Councillors Ebony Logins, Kevin Pearson, Brenda Parkinson, Bev Berger, Kerrie Reay, Rick Kasper.

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Dogs-On-Leash Areas: Dogs are required to be on a leash at:

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Comments

Off-leash dog options are shrinking — 3 Comments

  1. Off-Leash Dogs are not the problem. Dog Owners that do not have Effective Control over their Dogs is the problem. Effective Control means recall & other commands using a voice command, a whistle or clicker etc.and finally a Leash or Lead command as needed.

    It also is in the best interests of one & all if Dog Owners use common sense in situations where elderly people or children are in the same area in order that there is no conflict or accidental physical incidents by having Effective Control over their Dogs.

    Finally, All Dog Owners Pick up after your companions poop. That is simply common courtesy !

    • Totally agree with this. It is the dog owners’ responsibility that they have their off-leash pups under control at all times if the need arises. It is just a case of common courtesy to make the experience good for everyone using this public corridor.

  2. The parks belong to us . . . the CRD works for us . . . the politicians work for us . . . please keep reminding yourself of this and contact the CRD and your local reps and remind them.
    I’m in my sixties, I’m a type II diabetic and have been hiking the local parks for years to keep myself healthy. It’s worked very well up until now. My wife, dog and I have never had a problem of our own making.
    My wife and I have our second border collie and have described both dogs as “our exercise program.”
    I walk the Goose mainly just to connect to various trails. Both our border collies are/were people and dog friendly, though that has been to the detriment of our current border collie as he was attacked as a pup on more than one occasion by people who clearly should not have had their dog loose in a public place.
    In my opinion, there are very few if any problem dogs in the parks, however, there is occasionally problem owners. But have we become such a pathetic society that everyone must pay for the actions of a very few?
    I personally contacted the CRD and asked the person responsible for developing the new parks/dogs policy if they had screwed up months ago or are they screwing up now? Not many months ago it was acceptable to have a dog off leash on the Galloping Goose trail all the way to Uptown, now it’s a violation all the way out to Leachtown . . . how could this possibly make sense? I asked this person would it not make sense to delineate a point in the Goose where it’s acceptable to have dogs off leash, perhaps from the Metchosin border and north? I was informed that “closing the whole trail makes it easier for the CRD.”
    For all those concerned, please contact the CRD and remind them that we, the tax payers, own all the CRD parks and that “making it easier for them” is not an acceptable first priority.
    We are being regulated to death. According to the CRD bylaw 4225, the CRD can fine you $100 (or more for repeat offenders . . . sometimes I need to go twice . . . damned prostate) if you “defecate or urinate in a regional park, except in designated facilities” . . . Really? If I have a wiz 5km off the Galloping Goose in the Sooke Hills the CRD can fine me $100.00 . . . or more? https://www.crd.bc.ca/docs/default-source/crd-document-library/bylaws/parksandrecreation/4225—crd-parks-regulation-bylaw.pdf?sfvrsn=61e110ca_2
    It’s high time we informed our elected, and in the case of the CRD unelected, officials that we’ve had enough . . . these are our parks, we paid for them, we pay to maintain them, we pay their salaries . . . for now.

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