The city is poised to make changes to its animal control bylaw to iron out some inconsistencies.
According to a memo from city clerk Wendy Cooke, who is also the director of legislative and court services, the changes are needed to provide clarity to the existing rules.
When the city's parks bylaw was updated last year, one of the changes was to allow dogs on leashes at the waterfront parks, with the exception of the beach area.
"Given the current circumstances related to COVID-19 and the closure of dog off-leash parks, we are seeing an increase of people walking their dogs in all parks, including the waterfront parks," Cooke said in the memo.
However, Cooke says there is inconsistency between the animal control and parks bylaws, with the former prohibiting owners from walking their dogs on a leash in the grassy areas along the waterfront parks.
City staff were planning to review the animal control bylaw to address the inconsistency, but with resources in enforcement services being dedicated to COVID-19 emergency orders and other bylaws, Cooke said the timing of the review has been postponed.
"Given that enforcement services staff are routinely patrolling the parks, staff feel that it is necessary to do a minor update to the animal control bylaw so that it is consistent with the parks bylaw," she said.
Bill 044 on tonight's city council agenda is expected to address the issue by removing provisions that would conflict with the parks use bylaw. The revised bylaw, if passed, removes the line 'no owner of a dog shall allow his dog in any waterfront park'.
The owner may lead the dog, provided it is on a leash not exceeding six feet in length, on any signed walking path in Heritage Park, Allandale Station Park and Centennial Park.
