Council endorses rethink for limit of pooches per person in off-leash parks
Some of Saskatoon’s professional dog walkers convinced city council to reconsider limits on the number of dogs one person can take to offleash parks.
Council opted Monday to consider the plight of dog walkers rather than move forward with proposed changes that would limit to four the number of dogs a person could allow to roam at an off-leash park.
Ricky Deitner appeared before council to say he has been making a living as a dog walker in Saskatoon for five years. Deitner said he takes as many as 10 dogs at a time to offleash parks.
Some people can’t control two dogs, a single dog. Is it appropriate that they are in the off-leash area?
“The off-leash area is my office,” Deitner said. He picks up the excrement of all the dogs he takes to the off-leash parks, he said.
Deitner explained dogs are pack animals and are easier to control in a group. He said people’s busy schedules have increased the need for dog walkers.
Coun. Cynthia Block got support from council for a couple of ideas to allow for exemptions to the proposed four-dog limit.
One idea would provide an exemption for professional dog walkers, while another would designate one or more dog parks as exempt from the limit.
Coun. Darren Hill and Coun. Bev Dubois voted against exploring an exemption for designated dog parks.
Council directed city administration to explore possible exemptions.
“I think we missed a loophole here,” Hill said, adding that the customers of dog walkers would also be affected by the change.
Council received nearly 20 letters on the issue, almost all of which were opposed to the proposed four-dog limit or raising concerns about it.
“Some people can’t control two dogs, a single dog,” Ethan Sawchuk told council. “Is it appropriate that they are in the off-leash area?”
Among the proposed changes would be a ban in off-leash areas on dogs that have been caught three times for nuisance behaviour.