Living harmoniously in a community is often a delicate balancing act, and a new Saanich strategy is tilting that equilibrium, causing tension among one group of residents.
Since its implementation in November 2023, the People, Pets, and Parks Strategy (PPP) aims to make park rules clearer, boost compliance with pet regulations, protect sensitive areas, offer varied pet-friendly spaces, and ensure options for visitors who prefer to avoid off-leash animals.
However, some dog owners in Saanich argue the new strategy, which requires all pets to be leashed unless in a designated off-leash area, should be reconsidered.
Residents Lynn McDonald and Ruth Nelson, who walk their dogs in nearby Cuthbert Holmes Park daily, believe the district’s move is overly restrictive.
“It's absolutely ridiculous,” said McDonald, looking at her off-leash dog Finn, enjoying a stroll near the bushes. “They paint all dogs with the same brush. There are aggressive dogs, but that's on the owner, not the dog.”
According to the PPP, about 60 per cent of the municipality’s 99 parks have leash optional times. Of these, 43 of them are leash optional from 6 to 9 a.m. and 56 of them are leash optional at all times.
However, McDonald and Nelson contend that designated off-leash zones are often inadequate and don’t suit the needs of dogs, as is the case with Cuthbert Holmes Park, which spans four hectares.
“The area that they have designated is right up on the berm,” said McDonald. “There is zero shade up there, so it's unwalkable in the summertime. It's just too hot for both myself and my dog.”
While the municipality cites environmental protection and balancing the coexistence of dogs and residents as reasons for the PPP, the two residents argue that off-leash areas are essential for giving dogs and their owners space to enjoy some untethered freedom.
“Some dogs like to chase balls and my dog, he's a sniffer,” McDonald said. “He's a little detective, so often he'll be a little farther ahead or behind investigating all the smells.
“If I was to have him on leash and let him smell everything, it would probably take us three hours just to get through a basic dog walk.”
“There's no reason she has to be on leash because she's always no farther than 15 feet away from me,” added Nelson, with her beige labradoodle Maisy at her feet. “For me, it's just great. I get to come in here and have a chat with my friends, we walk, I don't have to worry about the dog.”
Questioning the district’s rationale, both women believe the impetus behind the new strategy and bylaw changes was that “a handful of people are ruining it for everybody else,” unfairly affecting the rest of the dog owners.
“I've been walking here for 13 years, and I could probably count on one hand the real altercations that have happened between dogs,” Nelson said. “Most people are aware of their dog's behaviours.
“I'd say 90 per cent of people that have (more aggressive) dogs understand that they need to keep their dog on leash.”
McDonald added that what constitutes an altercation between a dog and a resident can vary widely depending on a person’s preconceptions about dogs.
More than just frequent visitors, McDonald and Nelson said dog owners act as stewards of the park, cleaning up after each other, assisting other users, and even discovering overdoses and unreported fires with the help of their dogs.
While the PPP proposes that keeping dogs on leash prevents them from straying off paths and damaging sensitive ecosystems, the two dog owners contend that humans cause the most harm, from people venturing off trails and unhoused encampments scattered throughout the area.
In a written response to Saanich News, the district and Saanich Parks acknowledged that these new changes may be an adjustment for some residents.
“The strategy was developed to balance the diverse ways people use parks in Saanich while ensuring the safety, comfort, and ecological health of these shared public spaces,” their statement read.
In response to concerns around clarity and communication, the district is currently implementing more signage throughout the parks to help educate visitors about where dogs are permitted off-leash.
“We hope this will improve awareness and reduce confusion as the strategy continues to roll out,” the district said.
The municipality added that plans are progressing for the leash optional area modifications at PKOLS and Cuthbert Homes parks, scheduled to be available for public use in 2026.
In the meantime, Saanich reiterated that pop-up dog parks at Hyacinth, Lambrick and Rudd parks will run through October, offering fully fenced areas with dog water bowls and benches.
While enforcement of the animal bylaw falls under the jurisdiction of CRD Animal Control on Saanich’s behalf, the municipality said it is adopting an approach rooted in education rather than punishment, providing information in parks and on its website.
Despite these efforts, the two women believe the new rules erode the sense of community among dog owners, who are now leaving for municipalities with more freedoms.
“You start feeling like your community is working against you,” said McDonald. “Since I moved in, it's just been, ‘Don't do this and you can't do that.’”
“It seems like it's an attack on dog owners, and I don't know what Saanich has against dog owners,” Nelson added. “Some communities go out of their way to be dog-friendly and make sure there's lots of places for dogs to have good runs and walks, but I think Saanich is the opposite.
“They're just purposely making it harder for us.”
Unsure of what these measures aim to achieve, both dog owners ask Saanich to reconsider its decision on a topic that has been “extremely overblown.”
“They should seriously take another look at it because it's definitely overreach,” said McDonald. “It really seems pointless.”
“I feel like there's a lot of other issues that to me seem more important,” Nelson said. “I really wonder if any of those councillors ever came and spent any time in this park.
“In my mind, I don't think it's as big a problem as they make it out to be at all.”
