Moose Jaw city council directed city administration to look at the off-leash dog bylaws for outdated language and the possibility of increasing fines. 

The motion was made by Coun. Dawn Luhning during Monday night’s council meeting. 

Being a dog owner herself, Luhning said she’s had her own experiences with people not having their dogs on a leash within city limits. She feels that off-leash dogs are becoming a growing problem. 

“I've had people email me periodically over the years and it seems like lately, I've been getting a little bit more requests from people to try and see if this council can do anything about it,” she said. 

The current bylaw states that a dog is “at-large” when it is off-leash or on a leash longer than two metres anywhere in the city other than the owner's property or the off-leash dog park. 

Dogs can be impounded if they are found off-leash and any owners that are caught with their dog off-leash can be subject to a $40 or $60 fine depending on the offense. 

Coun. Crystal Froese spoke in favour of Luhning’s motion, recalling a morning walk with her dogs when they encountered another off-leash dog that she was told was “friendly”. 

“It really wrecked my morning walk because I was really frazzled,” Froese commented.  

“I was very worried that they're going to eat my little dog. My big dog was scared, even if they were friendly."

Luhning defended Froese, adding that it doesn’t matter if a dog is friendly or not, off-leash dogs are still a problem. 

“Animals are animals. They're going to do what they want to do, and honestly, I don't care if your dog is that well trained that you think it's not going to come up to my dog and attack my dog. It happens,” she said. 

Coun. Jamey Logan was also in favour of the motion but added that communication with residents could also be better about off-leash dogs. He recalled one particular incident in Crescent Park. 

“A gentleman had his dog off-leash and we approached him and he didn't know. He said, you know, I didn't know that and he leashed him right away,” Logan said. 

Luhning’s motion passed with a unanimous vote.