According city records obtained by CBC News, the City of Vancouver is issuing fewer tickets to dog owners who break the rules despite a promise to get tough on enforcement. Tickets issued to dog owners have dropped every year since 2008, while the city says it is receiving more complaints about dogs.
The most common complaint, which is a pertinent Kits Beach issue, is off-leash dogs. According to city records, the animal control office receives about 1100 complaints about off-leash dogs each year, more than any other topic. Park patrons, particularly in this neighbourhood, are frustrated that dog owners unleash pets outside of the designated Hadden Park area and can be hostile when asked to move. See our recent post “Dear Kitsilano Dog Owners” from a concerned parent of a 3-year-old in May 2011.
CBC’s analysis of enforcement also shows that no one has been ticketed for barking, or failing to pick up excrement in two years, even though the records show the city gets an average of 400 complaints a year about barking dogs. Complaints about waste are also rising.
Top 10 infractions:
1. No license.
2. Off-leash.
3. Running at large.
4. Aggressive dog not muzzled.
5. Barking.
6. Aggressive dog not secured.
7. Failure to remove excrement.
8. Impromper enclosure.
9. Failure to provide basic care.
10. More than three dogs.
Read the full CBC report here.
Are incidents of off-leash dogs in the wrong areas increasing in Kitsilano? Do you have confidence in the City’s ability to enforce dog laws? What’s your biggest complaint about off-leash areas in Kits?
Last modified: February 27, 2012
I have a dog and have gone to all off-leash parks in Kits, what I find is the biggest problem is people not picking up after their dogs. When I see this I approach the owner and ask them to pick up the dogs excrement, and I have never experienced any back-talk regarding this. Being nonconfrontational about any subject regarding dogs and their owners I find is the best way, but if a non-dog owner is involved I have witnessed a more confrontational situation. It is too bad that not everyone understands the relationship between a human and their dog, but that goes with everything in life. The most important part though is that if you own a dog you MUST be responsible in all ways when around other people, especially if other people have a fear of dogs due to past experiences. This is kind of like the car/bike relationships that this city and I am sure a lot of other cities experience. We are at some point going to have to learn to get along…..hmmmm
An average of three complaints a day and the city has how many trucks and dog catchers?
Sounds like far too many resources being directed toward a problem that barely exists.
I believe the reason for the # of complaints in Kits is because the only walkable distance off-leash park in the Kitsilano area is Hadden Park, which is right next to Kits Beach, full of families and other visitors, and high end homes, who can’t stand a few barks during the day. Therefore, there are more dogs in one area, more complaints. Look at the off-leash park map of Kitsilano. Where are dog owners suppose to go to let their dogs run so they don’t become “aggressive, overly excited, potential biters”:
http://vancouver.ca/parks/info/dogparks/index.htm
The other off-leash parks are at the West end of Spanish Banks or all the way down past 22nd Ave. When you walk around Kitsilano, how many dogs do you see in our neighbourhood, compared to kids even, how many dogs do you see compared to kids?
The Park Board did this presentation on plans for off-leash area:
http://vancouver.ca/parks/board/2011/pe110707/Off-LeashAreasPE07072011.pdf#page=30
1 park for 4000 dogs.
I am hoping they recognize the need for another area in Kitsilano.