Calgary dog owners disturbing nature by breaking leash rules, letting pooches run free

Dog owners in all four Calgary quadrants are regularly breaking the city's off-leash dog rules.

Data from a remote-triggered camera project called Calgary Connect shows owners are letting their dogs loose in green spaces home to coyotes, raccoons and other critters. 

From 2017 to 2022, the Miistakis Institute tracked animal sightings in Calgary's natural areas through a network of remote-triggered cameras.

It snapped photos of off-leash dogs running free in Calgary's natural areas on 50,247 separate occasions. 

Seventy-two per cent of the pooches caught on camera were off-leash in on-leash areas. 

"It matters because it's very disruptive to park users and wildlife," said Tracy Lee, director of conservation at the Miistakis Institute.

The project found that bobcats, foxes and moose all change their behaviour to avoid humans and dogs. 

All three species were much less likely to wander in front of a camera lens during peak times for human activity. 

Off-leash dogs had a more pronounced effect on wildlife behaviour than on-leash dogs, according to Lee.

"These animals are already trying to coexist by moving away from us or using the landscape when we're not there. And dogs off-leash tend to have more of a disruption factor, meaning that the wildlife will stay away from the area for longer periods of time."

Edworthy Park, Fish Creek Provincial Park and Weaselhead Flats are hot spots for bad behaviour, according to a recent report published by the non-profit. 

Off-leash dogs were photographed hundreds of times in all three parks.

"If you compare Calgary to the provincial parks and Waterton Lakes National Park … there's better [on-leash dog] compliance in the national parks and provincial parks," said Lee. "I think it's an education gap."

The non-profit released data on off-leash dog activity two years ago, but Lee says the problem has continued. 

City trying to curb bad behaviour

Calgary has one of the largest combined off-leash spaces in North America, according to the city, with 13 per cent of Calgary's parkland open for dogs to run free. 

But pooches must be on a leash unless posted signs say otherwise. It's also illegal for dogs to harass wildlife in city parks.

"We always want to make sure that dog owners take the time to educate themselves where they should be and where they shouldn't be," said Bartosz Wlostowski, a community safety inspector for the City of Calgary. 

Since 2013, Calgary has used an off-leash ambassador program to promote "responsible pet ownership and safety in off-leash areas."

Through the program, volunteers remind dog owners to follow city bylaws and clean up after their canines. 

Peace officers also warn and issue tickets to dog owners found breaking the rules. The base fine for having an off-leash dog in an on-leash area is $150.

"Ultimately, what we're trying to do is have dog owners be aware that maybe a sports field that's not being used or a natural area that's not being frequently walked does not automatically make it an off-leash area," said Wlostowski. 

A list of Calgary's 160 public off-leash dog areas is available on the city's website.

The City of Calgary issued 381 off-leash dog tickets in 2023.