Toronto parks going to the dogs?
Posted November 1, 2012 12:21 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A Toronto city councillor wants to expand off-leash hours for dogs to all city parks, believing it makes for happier dogs and fewer attacks on people and other animals.
Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong is asking for a study to determine whether it would make sense to set aside certain times for dogs to roam free in all 1,400 parks between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m.
He says though the city has 54 designated off-leash areas, they’re not within walking distance for many owners and some simply let their dogs loose in parks.
He cites New York City, which adopted off-leash hours and had a 63 per cent drop in dog bites between 1993 and 2005.
“The benefits of off-leash exercise for dogs are numerous and help contribute to well-rounded, socialized and obedient dogs,” Minnan-Wong said. “Dogs who are walked off-leash on a regular basis have been shown to be more social, less aggressive, bark less, tend to have far less neurotic behavior and bite less than dogs who get no off-leash exercise.”
A parks and environment committee will consider the request on Nov. 9.
Do you think dog-leash areas should be expanded to all city parks? Why or why not. Let us know here, in the comments below, @Citynews, or use the iPhone/iPad apps. [View the story “Toronto parks going to the dogs?” on Storify]
