Seated on a stout wall between the beach and the playground at Cadboro Bay, Trish Fougner tries to envision a pup frolicking in the water on-leash.
“Dogs have nowhere to go to just cool off,” the vice-president of the CRD DOGGS (Dog Owners for Good Governance Society) said.
The group formed two years ago after Saanich started reviewing its People Pets and Parks Strategy that wound up trimming off-leash access in the community – among them the segment of beach north of the playground where dogs once cooled off in the Salish Sea.
CRD DOGGS’ mission is to continue to advocate for off-leash spaces for dogs in the Capital Regional District, support responsible dog ownership and park management, and ensure good governance best practices are the basis for decisions and policy development.
“By all means, we should be protecting this area,” Fougner said, with a nod to the waves in front of her.
In what the society deems an “unprecedented rollback of public dog-walking space,” Saanich removed more than 80 per cent of its off-leash parks and 90 per cent of off-leash trail areas.
It came alongside a federal study of the bird sanctuary that found itself focusing on off-leash animals. Enforcement increased, and since 2022, federal officials have issued 83 warnings and a dozen fines totalling $6,000.
The goal to protect nesting birds, particularly at-risk species like the great blue heron, is clear and commendable to Fougner, and society president Eulala Mills. But for many responsible dog owners, the enforcement measures are more than a warning – they're a signal that the region is failing to provide alternatives.
“We’re getting less and less space in Greater Victoria,” Fougner said. It funnels more and more dogs into smaller spaces, which can breed problems, including negative interactions.
From the society’s perspective, despite a growing population and increasing pet ownership, off-leash space is rapidly disappearing, and the erosion of access came largely due to the implementation of Saanich’s People, Pets and Parks strategy in 2023.
“Instead of creating shared-use trails or thoughtful solutions, the strategy simply cut off-leash parks and trails. These decisions were made without considering the thoughtful input of thousands of Saanich residents during council meetings and consultations,” the society said in a statement to the Saanich News.
The newest Saanich bylaws require dogs to be on a leash at all times in parks zoned conservation, nature parks and PKOLS (Mount Doug Park) except in select areas. In Saanich, 56 parks remain leash-optional and 43 others allow for leash-optional activity between 6 and 9 a.m. Many of those are grassy spaces appropriate for some, like the pop-up parks Saanich explored in the first year of the bylaw. Few offer a trail walking option with space for sniffing and exploring, which was a favourite pastime at PKOLS. Trail loss is a concern for CRD DOGGS, which continues to work on remedying that loss of space.
That said, the organization feels it has a foot in the door with Saanich, in hopes of adding spaces that include leash-free trail options for pets and their owners. The goal is to garner similar conversations and input at other municipalities in the Capital Regional District with a view to adding new off-leash parks and trails and engaging the public – particularly dog owners – for input into forming balanced decisions for all residents for the space.
“Dog owners aren’t bad people, they’re out in nature and want to be part of the solution,” Fougner said, adding that slapping on more restrictions doesn’t solve the issue of balance with nature. “We need to find solutions.”
