A new report detecting wildlife activity in Calgary parks found many dog owners ignoring the city’s leashing guidelines.
The non-profit Miistakis Institute study “Calgary Connect: Monitoring Calgary’s Wildlife” tracked and monitored animal sightings in the city’s greenspaces between 2017 and 2022.
Researchers installed 128 cameras in natural areas and parks and analyzed over 200,000 photos to understand the wildlife in Calgary.
However, it also found a concerning trend among dog owners.
Over 50,000 off-leash pups were detected, and 72 per cent of all off-leash dogs were noted in on-leash areas. Leashed dogs made up more than 18,000 detections.
A map of off-leash dogs in Calgary from a Miistakis Institute report on wildlife detection at parks in the city. Over 200,000 animal detections were made from 128 cameras installed over five years, from 2017 to 2022, for the study. (Courtesy Miistakis Institute, screenshot)
Many of these images were taken in Edworthy Park, Fish Creek Provincial Park and Weaselhead Flats. Researchers found several spots with off-leash dog detections 600 times per 100 days.
People with no dogs made up more than 100,000 detections, which equates to 47 per cent of all captures.
Other stats include white-tailed deer at around 19,000 detections, coyotes at just over 10,000, and raccoons under 1,000. The study notes all other species made up less than five per cent of all camera detections.
White-tailed deer appeared frequently at Weaselhead Flats and Fish Creek Park, at 100 detections per 100 days in several areas. Coyotes appeared to frequent Fish Creek the most, with several spots seeing around 10 per 100 days, and the southern part of the park even reporting 70 per 100 days.
Lastly, cougars were spotted 21 times, black bears 16 times, and a domestic pig was noticed once.
“Wildlife is present in our parks at all times but they are working to avoid interactions and conflict with people,” the report states.
Off-leash areas in Calgary
With 160 off-leash areas, the city says Calgary has over 1,145 hectares of space for pups to explore freely, which is 13 per cent of the total 8,642 hectares. According to the city, Calgary has one of the largest off-leash areas in North America and combined off-leash spaces.
However, owners are expected to leash their pups in public spaces unless a sign indicates it’s off-leash.
If in an off-leash area, dogs should also be under the command of the owner at all times, and be able to respond to their owner’s voice or other commands.
The city says it’s illegal for dogs to harass wildlife in parks and natural areas, which includes barking and biting other animals.
According to the city’s Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw, owners failing to control their dogs can be fined $100, including in off-leash areas.
More information about off-leash areas in Calgary can be found on the city’s website.