This is not about being anti-dog. It is about balancing the rights of dog owners with the safety and comfort of everyone who uses our public spaces.
I’d like to address a growing concern that I believe many Cochrane residents share regarding off-leash dogs and public safety.
Over the past several years, I have witnessed countless aggressive encounters between dogs, and occasionally between dogs and people. What concerns me almost as much as the incidents themselves is the response afterward. Instead of accountability or an apology, there often seems to be a sense of entitlement because the dogs are in an off-leash area.
I say this as a dog owner myself. Over the years I’ve owned rescue dogs of many sizes and breeds, and I also worked at a 24-hour animal hospital. I love dogs, but one thing experience has taught me is that, regardless of how well they’re trained, they are still animals. They can become startled, frightened, or reactive in an instant.
Until this past weekend, I believed I could simply avoid off-leash parks if I wanted a quieter place to relax. After a long week at work, I chose a spot by the river well away from the designated off-leash park specifically to avoid these situations.
As I sat in a low beach chair, a large dog that appeared to be from the pit bull family suddenly emerged from the bushes. It was clearly startled, and for nearly a minute we remained frozen, staring at one another. Moments later, a second dog wandered over and urinated on the chair I was sitting in.
When the owners arrived, I calmly explained what had happened and mentioned that I had intentionally chosen this location to avoid off-leash dogs. Rather than responding with understanding, one owner became increasingly aggressive, moved closer while yelling insults, and refused to leave. I remained calm, asked her several times to continue on her way, and ultimately felt unsafe enough to call the RCMP because I was concerned the confrontation might become physical.
Afterward, I learned that dogs are legally permitted to be off leash within two metres of many river areas. I’m sure this rule was created with good intentions, but I question whether it still serves our community as intended.
This is not about being anti-dog. It is about balancing the rights of dog owners with the safety and comfort of everyone who uses our public spaces. Cochrane is fortunate to have kilometres of designated off-leash trails and parks. Perhaps it’s time to review whether the current river exemption still makes sense. It may also be worth considering increased education, better signage, or occasional bylaw patrols to encourage responsible ownership and accountability.
At the end of the day, this isn’t a dog problem– it’s an owner responsibility problem. We all deserve to enjoy our beautiful river pathways safely and respectfully, whether we have a dog with us or not.
Nicole Lynn
Cochrane, AB
