Off-leash dogs in sensitive natural parks

Re: “Saanich seeks more input on dogs in parks,” Jan. 28.

Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock states that Saanich’s 2021 and 2022 summer pop-up dog parks were well-received, and people have expressed an interest in creating more permanent places where dogs can be off-leash.

Fun fact: all of the parks in which pop-up parks were piloted permitted dogs to be off-leash both inside and outside the fenced enclosures.

You read that right. Saanich put up fences for off-leash dog parks within parks that were already off-leash all year long. Why? Because the entire municipality of Saanich is, by default, leash-optional and therefore parks where dogs are required to be leashed could not be found.

Murdock went on to say that Saanich’s pet strategy should also address concerns related to protecting ecosystems, preventing wildlife disturbance, “and making sure that we’re being sensitive to the potential impacts of where those dogs can exercise.”

As part of its selection criteria for the pop-up dog park pilots, Saanich determined that a park would not be considered for a fenced designated dog park if it is zoned P4N (Natural Park) or P5 (Conservation).

And yet Saanich currently permits dogs off leash in its unenclosed P4N Parks, including parks established for the protection of rare sensitive ecosystems such as PKOLS-Mount Douglas. That’s a real head-scratcher.

Our natural-area parks are too sensitive to have enclosed dog parks but not sensitive enough to be used as unenclosed dog parks? An embarrassing inconsistency that needs to be remedied in the People, Pets and Parks strategy.

Tom Meher Saanich