The City of Saskatoon will consider exempting professional dog walkers from a rule proposed earlier this month to limit the number of pets people are allowed to bring to off-leash areas.
The city received some pushback on its proposal to limit the number of dogs a person can take to the park. Multiple dog walkers and owners emailed city council to express concerns about the proposed amendment to the animal control bylaw.
Professional pack walker Richard Deitner walks up to 20 dogs a day.
“If they go through with the four-dog rule, well, I just can’t walk all those dogs in that day,” said Deitner, who spoke to council on Monday.
“Therefore, I can’t run a business that will pay my taxes and feed my kids.”
The animal control bylaw doesn’t currently limit how many dogs each person can take to an off-leash area.
The city proposed amending the bylaw because safety concerns arise when people have multiple dogs with them, according to a report prepared for the planning, development and community services committee.
Deitner said he and other professionals are fully capable of keeping a handle on their dogs.
Councillors acknowledged Deitner’s concerns that the proposed restriction could be detrimental to his business, but raised points about how the bylaw is meant to apply to everyone. Councillors also noted that it could be difficult to distinguish between regular pet owners and professional dog walkers.
Ultimately, council voted to explore options that would exempt professional dog walkers from the limit.
The city will also consider if certain off-leash areas should be exempt from the restriction. Deitner said that might not be the best solution.
“For us dog walkers, it might be all right, but if you have people that are irresponsible with four or more dogs, how do you stop them from acting up in the parks?” he said.
City administration will include professional dog walkers in community consultations as it explores options for exempting parks or professionals from the proposed four-dog limit.