Calgary's population
has grown considerably over the last ten years, and with it, so has its
population of dogs in parks and open spaces. However, people's responsibility
when it comes to good citizenship, at least when it comes taking care of their
pets, is lacking. Simply put, people are not picking-up after themselves
and are letting their companions run freely in what are supposed to be leashed
areas. This is a problem for other people who want to enjoy the same parks and
open spaces as they are now forced to be complicit with dirty shoes and
pestering of animals that approach them.
It's true, dogs are
lovable animals, but the fact remains that they are property. And as property,
you as an owner have a responsibility to ensure they do no harm. If you're
letting your dog bark and jump on cyclists, runners or walkers, or letting him defecate
without cleaning, you are neglecting your responsibility to your property. Moreover,
if you think of your furry friend more as a companion, then you should remember
that you would not allow someone under your care to do harm to others. You
would not, for instance, allow your child to defecate anywhere he
pleases or let him run in places he is not allowed to. You must, therefore,
ensure the same for your pet.
Aside from that, it's
just a fact that by-laws must be respected. If you decide this does not apply
to you, you should justifiably be given a fine or a ticket. You would not, for
instance, think that it's permissible to break traffic laws. But if you do,
authorities are right to give you a penalty.
Sadly, animal services
from Calgary is being unresponsive to this issue. When my mother called
complaining about people's irresponsibility, an agent suggested that she carry
a stick to distract the animal from attacking her. This is absolutely
ridiculous. It is the owner's, not her responsibility, to ensure that a dog
does not harm or harass her. Furthermore, carrying things with the intention of
using them as potential weapons creates antagonisms. I can assure you that if I
pepper-sprayed a dog or hit him with a stick because he was pestering me, the
owner would resort to blows, or at the very least begin yelling and verbally
insulting me. It would be better, therefore, if animal services patrolled the
area periodically, giving fines and tickets to people who don't want to listen.
They could also place a large sign reminding people that by-laws must be
protected.
On the other hand, there's
in many ways no need for such drastic measures. All you have to do as a
dog-owner is have a respect for others who use the same parks. In the spirit of
co-operation and reasonableness, therefore, I would ask all dog-owners to
simply have a little courtesy for the rest of us.
