Leg traps in Nose Hill Park

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

Plus the only way your dog gets caught is in a signed, heavily wooded, on-leash area after dark.

I have a few issues with this:

- After dark. Actually I think they said after dusk; around 8:00. I don't walk my dog at Nose Hill, but his evening walk is usually after 8:00, and his morning walk is right around dawn/
- Signed. If it is done during twilight and darker; how are you supposed to see the signs.
- Heavily wooded. How heavily wooded is Nose Hill? I thought it was mostly grasslands.

Sure- on leash is supposed to be on leash. But I often see people walking dogs with leash ready to try and train them to respond to the handler. (My dog isn't ready for this yet.) Others have said it is very close to off leash areas; a dog could see a rabbit and be off running.

I get wanting to track coyotes. But not by putting canine traps in areas where pet dogs frequent.

Another thought- how are these baited anyways?

[Nage Waza]

I have issues as well...the traps are set up where dogs should be on leash. If you happen to have your dog off leash and you are breaking the rules, too bad, your dog can get trapped. While you are trying to find your poor dog, coyotes are eating him while trapped. Bad bad idea and even worse is that this was approved.

[Yanda]

This is beyond ######ed

1. The Traps are 50m off Trail
2. The Traps are in an ON-LEASH area
3. Warnings via e-mail, Twitter, Facebook were released to registered Dog owners
4. Signs along the path label where the spots are
5. Traps are only Available between 8pm and midnight.
6. Traps arnt deadly, there trying to catch and release Coyotes.

So in Summary you need to be an oblivious Dog owner that hasnt bothered to register there dog, Walk your dog in the dark through a park when it could be too dark to read the signs posted. Continue to break the rules by not using a leash and losing control of your dog so poorly that it would run 50m off the path. You have to be the worst dog owner possible for this to be an issue. Infact Id like to see bylaw officers handing out tickets to those that need there dogs released from the traps.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Yanda

So in Summary you need to be an oblivious Dog owner that hasnt bothered to register there dog

I never received an email about this, and my dog is licensed.

The only thing I will agree with is that the traps are in an "on leash" area. However I think having your dog off leash in an on leash area; the penalty should not be the dog being put through a leg hold trap.

Let's also keep in mind why this became an issue in the first place; a person's dog did get caught in one of the traps; and did require veterenary care.

[browna]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I never received an email about this, and my dog is licensed.

The only thing I will agree with is that the traps are in an "on leash" area. However I think having your dog off leash in an on leash area; the penalty should not be the dog being put through a leg hold trap.

Let's also keep in mind why this became an issue in the first place; a person's dog did get caught in one of the traps; and did require veterenary care.

If my dog was in a leg trap, I'd take her to the vet, whether I read/acknowledged the sign or not.

Really, I think this blown out of proportion. The city of course knew about this before but the blow back from people who have nothing better to complain about are worried about civil liberties have them reacting for PR purposes. There's no way that an owner who followed one or all the warnings and adhered to the rules of the park would have their dog get caught in one of these things, plain and simple.

Its also not like they're every 5 feet, there would have to be some bad timing/luck for the dog as well, and for the "completely innocent" owner, who is 50 m away, without sight of their dog in the heavy brush, in an on-leash area after 8pm.

[Yanda]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Let's also keep in mind why this became an issue in the first place; a person's dog did get caught in one of the traps; and did require veterenary care.

I say lesson learned. The city is paying the vet bill for her stupidity. She didnt follow the rules, its her own fault. Its probably an On-Leash area for a reason (wildlife) whats the difference between it getting caught in a labeled trap or getting attacked by a pack of coyotes.

[ken0042]

Two differences are that my dog can sense a coyote from a couple hundred metres away. And that he can defend himself against a coyote.

I guess I don't see an off leash offense deserving a penalty of injury.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Guess the city is overreacting too?

The City overreacts to a lot of things. Most recent example off the top of my head is the Eamon's Camp building.

Originally Posted by Nage Waza

While you are trying to find your poor dog, coyotes are eating him while trapped. Bad bad idea and even worse is that this was approved.

Are Coyotes seriously only a short distance away whenever you're in a park, and ready to pounce as soon as animal is distressed? Really? You make it sound like there are packs everywhere at all times, and these traps are every 5 feet in wooded areas.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Yanda

This is beyond ######ed

1. The Traps are 50m off Trail
2. The Traps are in an ON-LEASH area
3. Warnings via e-mail, Twitter, Facebook were released to registered Dog owners
4. Signs along the path label where the spots are
5. Traps are only Available between 8pm and midnight.
6. Traps arnt deadly, there trying to catch and release Coyotes.

So in Summary you need to be an oblivious Dog owner that hasnt bothered to register there dog, Walk your dog in the dark through a park when it could be too dark to read the signs posted. Continue to break the rules by not using a leash and losing control of your dog so poorly that it would run 50m off the path. You have to be the worst dog owner possible for this to be an issue. Infact Id like to see bylaw officers handing out tickets to those that need there dogs released from the traps.

Please show me examples of these warnings via email, Twitter and Facebook; because this is one of the things my Alderman is looking into.

Not even on the signs does it say "leg hold traps"; simply "trap". Most would assume (nowadays) it would be a full live capture cage.

Grant dog owners carry a huge portion of the responsibility to ensure their pets safety. However the City and U of C also bear some responsibility in not doing an adequate job of advising of the additional risks that would be present in three parks frequented by people walking their dogs.

The boundaries of the on-leash and off-leash areas of Nose Hill are incredibly vague. There are few and very random signs. The border of said areas is a "virtual" one; so its not uncommon for dogs to be off-leash in an on-leash zone knowingly or otherwise.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

The City overreacts to a lot of things. Most recent example off the top of my head is the Eamon's Camp building.

When voters over-react (even if it's just a vocal minority), it puts a lot of pressure on elected officials to also over-react.

[FlamesKickAss]

some people sure are whiner's....