The City of Saskatoon’s smoking control bylaw could be expanded to apply to off-leash dog parks, along with a 3 strikes and you’re out rule and a limit to the amount of dogs a handler has off-leash.
Amendments to the City’s Animal Control Bylaw and the Dangerous Animal Bylaw have been approved by the Planning, Development and Community Services Committee, but still needs to go before Council.
The smoking control bylaw expansion would mean off-leash parks would be considered an outdoor public space owned and operated by the city, and therefore smoking and vaping would be prohibited .
The director of recreation and community development, Andrew Roberts explains that the 3 strikes and you’re out rule would address concerns about repeated violations and the amount of dogs a handler has off-leash would be limited to 4, but for those who are professional dog walkers, you could have other dogs on leash.
The Saskatoon Animal Control Agency states that those with more than 4 dogs off-leash are less likely to maintain voice or sight command, to remove all their dogs’ defecation and to manage behaviour in a timely manner.