THUNDER BAY – Dogs are no longer allowed to roam free around Fort William First Nation following a new bylaw.
Fort William First Nation recently passed a new dog-control bylaw, which will require dog owners to register their canines with local animal control and keep them tied up or fenced in at all times within the boundaries of the First Nation.
Free roaming dogs haven’t been a rare sight on the reserve according to Fort William First Nation Chief, Michele Solomon, but she said that the it has become a problem as the community grows.
"It’s becoming more and more populated in the community, and the dogs becoming more and more populated in the community,” she said. “We see that there is risk of harm with animals roaming free, both for animals and people that are walking or biking through the community."
Many residents have raised safety concerns in the past regarding free-roaming dogs in the community and Solomon said that she’s seeing a very positive reaction from the community over the new bylaw.
"It's one thing if there's a dog running loose, but when you have multiple dogs running loose and they’re packing up, that becomes a dangerous situation," she said.
Dog walkers will now be expected to use a leash at all times and loose dogs will be impounded at the owner’s expense.
The bylaw also requires aggressive dogs to be muzzled and prohibits anyone from abandoning a dog or removing a dog from the community.
"We know that this has been a problem historically where dogs have been dropped off in the community,” said Solomon.
“And also, despite the fact that dogs might not be tied up, if they're out here they probably do belong to somebody. So, we do ask that people don't pick dogs up in the community and take them back to the city.”
The Bylaw is planned to be fully implemented by the end of July and the changes are being gradually phased-in, with information sessions and registration opportunities planed over the coming months.
A schedule of fees and penalties is still to be determined.
