THUNDER BAY -- People who let their dogs run loose at the Cascades Conservation Area in Thunder Bay can expect to get a ticket if they get caught.
The Lakehead Region Conservation Authority and City of Thunder Bay Animal Services plan an enforcement blitz in the popular hiking area at the end of Balsam Street.
For many years, people have complained about dog-owners treating the Cascades as if it were an off-leash dog park.
A recent complaint from a hiker who had two large dogs run at him in an aggressive manner helped prompt the decision to do some enforcement.
But Ryan Mackett, a spokesperson for the LRCA, says the Authority hopes the power of friendly persuasion will make ticketing unnecessary.
"It was just one of a number of complaints that we routinely receive about dogs running off-leash at conservation areas...It's one of the number one complaints that we get."
Mackett told tbnewswatch.com that the authority is asking dog-owners "to try to be a little bit respectful of the rules and regulations...They can absolutely go to our conservation areas with their dogs. They just need to be on-leash."
He said the authority is taking pains to let people know it is not "anti-dog, most of us here are dog-owners ourselves," but "the one thing that really bothers us is that when we have users of our areas saying 'off-leash dogs are affecting my ability to use these areas' ".
Mackett added that in the case of an individual with a severe phobia or with young children "who don't necessarily want a 90-pound dog, friendly or not, charging up at them," off-leash dogs can have a profound impact on their ability to enjoy conservation areas.
He said the same holds true for dog-owners who take their pets on a hike and use a leash, leaving their animals vulnerable to bigger, aggressive dogs who are running at large.
The LRCA is currently working on its strategic planning process, and has not ruled out the possibility of a partnership with the city that could conceivably allow for off-leash areas at some point in the future.
For now, however, the rules apply throughout the Cascades and all of the authority's conservation areas.
A ticket for a first infraction can result in a penalty of $150 to $250.
