Off-leash dog complaint process worries resident

A Thunder Bay woman wants the city to change the way it handles complaints about off-leash dogs and says residents shouldn't have to provide some of the information the city is asking for.

Cindy Spackman said she watches people walking dogs off-leash in Hillcrest Park, near where she lives, every day.

Last month she called the city's bylaw division after seeing what she calls several "small" incidents when dogs were behaving aggressively and not listening to commands. But she said she became uncomfortable when city staff asked her for the dog owners' names, addresses and licence plates.

"So if I'm making a general complaint about an issue, I don't want that turned into that I'm snitching personally on neighbours," she said.

"Quite honestly, some of the people walking the dogs off-leash are my neighbours. I've actually been out there in the morning. I've greeted them, I've spoken to them, and they’re friendly people.  I don't have anything against them personally, but they still shouldn't be letting their dogs run off-leash in the park."

Spackman remarked the city should have sent a bylaw officer to the park to speak with the dog owners.

However Thunder Bay's manager of licensing and enforcement said the city needs details from complainants for possible investigations.

"We may have a history on that address," Ron Bourret said. "We may have already issued them an order or given them a warning, and we're pretty good in that way, and if it's a second time this happened, then we can attend the home."

Bourret noted bylaw officers already routinely patrol the city’s more popular parks, such as Boulevard Lake, Marina, and Hillcrest.

Bourret said names of people filing complaints are always kept confidential.