The Capital Regional District is tightening the leash on pet owners in regional parks.
New bylaw amendments were put in to effect March this year, which included 11 regional parks where dogs are required to be on leashes at all times B次元官网网址� five of those parks are in Sooke.
These parks include: Ayum Creek Regional Park Reserve, Sea to Sea, Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Park, the Sooke Potholes and the Galloping Goose Regional Trail in its entirety.
B次元官网网址淭he bylaw was amended in order to meet a number of management plan objectives for those parks and regional trails, including the implementation of leash regulations,B次元官网网址� said Mike MacIntyre, acting senior manager, CRD Regional Parks.
Following the regulation changes, CRD staff started to build awareness around leash requirements for all the parks and trails through the CRD website, social media, brochures, signs and conversations with visitors in the parks.
B次元官网网址淭he focus is on educating the public with an aim to gain voluntary compliance with the regulations. We are also sharing information on how to reduce human-wildlife conflicts as there is a potential for more conflicts given the increased use of these wilderness areas. Having dogs on leash helps keep visitors, their dogs and wildlife safe,B次元官网网址� said MacIntryre.
The new regulations are not sitting well with certain Sooke dog owners though.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a dog walker at the Potholes for over 30 years and it seems unreasonable and unfair that this action has been taken from me,B次元官网网址� Sooke resident Gail Hall told Sooke council last week. B次元官网网址淔or the most part these are large parks and make up most of our useful walking areas, the loss of the potholes hits the hardest for most dog owners.B次元官网网址�
She added that with the current trend of small lot sizes in Sooke, loss of areas like the Potholes removes opportunity for exercise for dogs.
B次元官网网址淟arge dogs need to run to remain healthy and happy. They have been singled out by the CRD as a threat to the parks and to humanity,B次元官网网址� she said.
Councillors Kevin Pearson and Kerrie Rae agreed with Hall, saying they both have big dogs and donB次元官网网址檛 think itB次元官网网址檚 reasonable for dogs to have to be on a leash in all five parks.
Hall wants to find a solution or a middle-ground for the bylaw, and asked that council invite the CRD to come and explain their reasoning behind the decisions that were made.
B次元官网网址淚 wonder if we could work in some sort of a schedule so that dogs could have their time or place to run,B次元官网网址� said Hall. B次元官网网址淚 hope there is an answer somewhere, because itB次元官网网址檚 made an awful difference to a lot of peopleB次元官网网址檚 lives.B次元官网网址�
Sooke Mayor Maja Tait said she understands why residents are upset with the change, having been able to walk their dogs on or off leash for years, as long as the dog was under control.
B次元官网网址淢y understanding is that the CRD made the changes because of a high number of complaints coming from the public,B次元官网网址� said Tait. B次元官网网址淪o I would like to talk with them a little bit more to find out the nature of the complaints, so that maybe we can resolve this in a more meaningful way.B次元官网网址�
Tait explained that council plans to have a CRD rep come to a meeting soon to try and work out a solution.
B次元官网网址淲e could maybe look at getting a seasonal schedule, or in terms of the Galloping Goose, maybe just have from a specific point onward that dogs can be off leash under control,B次元官网网址� said Tait.
