Spot may have to be leashed on golf trail
Council will ponder tough dangerous dog bylaw and complaints about loose animals at Cedar Hill

Bill Cleverley
Times Colonist
Thursday, January 06, 2005

Saanich could soon toughen its dangerous-dog bylaw and restrict dogs on the Cedar Hill golf course chip trail to leashes.

The proposals, already approved by the Saanich police board, include doubling the penalty for dogs running at large to $200 for second and third offences.

It is also recommended the licence fee for dogs deemed dangerous be increased to $100 from $20 for spayed or neutered dogs and to $150 from $30 for unaltered dogs.

The recommendations from Saanich pound inspector Sue Ryan will go to Saanich council for consideration later this month.

Complaints about dogs running free on the Cedar Hill trail have been on the increase for some time, Mayor Frank Leonard said.

"Staff at the golf course have been receiving a lot of complaints about dogs," Leonard said.

"The trail has some relatively narrow sections and even though we have the restriction at King's Pond, which is at the north end of the golf course, the trail comes fairly close to King's Pond." Leonard says that configuration has created questions of interpretation on whether the dog running loose is at King's Pond or on the trail.

Leonard added that there are lots of areas in the municipality where people can walk dogs off leash.

"I walk Elk/Beaver Lake all the time . . . but it's a much wider and longer trail. This is a relatively small, narrow trail. I know the staff at the golf course have had a lot of complaints."

The idea of a leash law for the path met with mixed response by those using it Wednesday.

"I think dogs should be allowed to have a little bit of space where they can be off as long as the person is responsible," said Sue Walker who was walking the trail with her 19 month-old daughter Francesca. "I take Francesca down to Dallas Road all the time where the dogs are off and everything and we've never had any problems."

Her friend Claire Handley was out with her son, Liam, 15 months. "I don't mind either way. I'm a big dog lover. It's okay as long as people are responsible and I think most people are," she said.

If they are, Earl Griffin has been running into a lot of the irresponsible ones. Griffin was walking his eight-month old boxer Diesel on a leash and complained that Diesel often has been the victim of loose dogs.

"He's been bitten on this trail more than any other place and it's always a dog that's loose. They always come screaming up to him and the owners are 10 steps away and they won't call their dog and they won't stop him," Griffin said.

Griffin said there are lots of dogs off leash on the trail "that are perfectly well behaved. But I would say it's eight out of 10 people --and it's not the dogs, it's the owners -- they won't keep their dogs under control."

Saanich already has leash restrictions on trails at Swan Lake/Christmas Hill, Quick's Bottom and Rithet's Bog and King's Pond at Cedar Hill golf course.

Leonard asked for a review of the dog bylaw after Ontario introduced legislation banning certain breeds of dogs.

Ryan reviewed available bite/attack statistics for the past three years. In 2002, of the 31 "bite" incidents seven (22 per cent) involved pitbulls; three (10 per cent) Rottweilers and three (10 per cent) were shepherds while 18 or 58 per cent were other breeds.

In 2003 there were 41 incidents: five (12 per cent) pitbulls; 7 (17 per cent) Rottweilers and seven (17 per cent) shepherds. Twenty-two (54 per cent) were other breeds.

In 2004 there were only 22 incidents. Five (23 per cent) involved pitbulls; four (18 per cent) Rottweilers and three (14 per cent) were shepherds while 10 or 45 per cent were other breeds.

Dog issues have a habit of raising community anxiety levels. Leonard said these changes will actually impact very few people as dangerous dog designations are rare and repeat offenders even rarer.

"Reaching the point of having a fine is even rare because usually the owner gets a warning before we start writing up tickets. I'm told they're dealing with a pretty small group of dog owners," Leonard said.

"The number of people who have dogs defined as dangerous is quite small. Having changes in the licence fees that would encourage them to spay or neuter is reasonable, I think."

CREDIT: Bruce Stotesbury, Times Colonist
Sue Walker, left, and daughter Francesca, 19 months, slow down while friend Claire Handly hangs on to son Liam, 15 months, who is showing intense interest in eight-month-old boxer Diesel, as he is walked on Cedar Hill Golf Course chip trail Wednesday. The man on the end of Diesel's leash, Earl Griffin, who is accompanied by Janet Bol, says Diesel is often harassed by dogs allowed to run loose by irresponsible owners.