The updated Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw was approved at Council June 1, 2021 and comes into effect January 1, 2022. It includes a limit of 6 dogs off-leash in off-leash parks for any individual.

There is no limit to the number of dogs one person can walk on leash.

We wanted to better understand how this limit could impact dog-walking businesses, therefore, we invited dog walkers to share feedback and ideas.

We recognize that there is a fine balance between setting regulations and respecting your business operations. This is why your input is extremely valuable to us. Our goal is to find a balance between ensuring safety for all Calgarians and the business needs of professional dog walkers.

Results from this engagement are included in the What we Heard Report and will be included in our report back to Council later this year.

Pets are important to Calgarians, and the bylaw helps create a safe environment for Calgary. Calgarians’ needs have changed since the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw was updated 12 years ago. An update to the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw ensures that The City of Calgary is reaching as many pet owners as possible and is creating effective compliance and education by recognizing new trends that will impact Calgarians and businesses. The bylaw is being reviewed as part of a Calgary Community Standards workplan item that came out of Service Plans and Budgets 2019 – 2022.

Goals for phase one engagement were:

• Understand what Calgarians think is working with the current regulations, and what is not working.
• Seek input on what else should be included in the Bylaw.

Goal for phase two engagement was:

• Seek input on potential Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw amendments

While the new Bylaw was passed by Council, Council passed a Motion Arising directing Administration to engage specifically with the dog walker industry and return to Council by the end of 2021 with any further recommended amendments to the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw.

Engagement on the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw was conducted in two phases. Engagement focused on reaching different stakeholders, including pet owners, people who do not own pets, City staff and pet industry representatives (e.g. veterinary clinics, businesses, pet daycares, pet sitters, dog walkers, animal rescue organizations, academics, breeders, kennels, other nearby municipalities, etc.).

The goal for phase 1 of the engagement was to understand what Calgarians think is working with the current regulations, and what is not working and to seek input on what else should be included in the Bylaw.

The goal for phase 2 was to gather feedback on potential Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw amendments.

Input that was heard regarding dog-walking in phase 1 was:

• Be in control of all dogs in care at all times
• Have proper resources, including adequate and safe transportation, water and poop bags
• Dog-walking businesses should be insured and have liability coverage for all their employees
• Dog-walkers should be trained in animal first aid

Input that was heard regarding dog-walking in phase 2 was:

• Limit the number of dogs that can be walked at one time
• Do recall testing in off-leash parks
• Work with Business Licensing regarding rules for dog-walkers
• Dog walkers should be visible and identifiable (e.g. ID, lanyard, vest, etc.)
• Dogs should be labelled and have visual identification so if they end up ‘at large’ they can be returned to the dog walker/company
• All dogs being walked by a dog walker need to be licensed
• Dog-walkers should be licensed

Your input, and the input of other citizens and stakeholders, helps The City understand people’s perspectives, opinions, and concerns. Input collected in this phase of the project will be compiled and shared through a What We Heard report. Personally identifying information, profanity and comments that do not meet The City's Respectful Workplace Policy or the Online Tool Moderation Practice will be removed.

Although it would be a great outcome, the goal of public engagement is not to reach consensus or make everyone happy. Public engagement is also not about voting or collecting representative information. Public engagement is about considering the input, ideas and perspectives of people who are interested or impacted by decisions, before decisions are made.

To learn more about engagement at The City, visit engage.calgary.ca/about.

The following feedback form is divided into 3 sections.

Section 1 - Getting to know you and your business

Section 2 - Understanding how you are impacted by bylaw updates

Section 3 - Your recommendations for finding a balance

Thank you for providing your input. The feedback form is now closed.

Your input was reviewed, themed and included in a What we Heard Report which is posted here. Input will be used to determine if any further amendments to the Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw are required. Potential recommended amendments will be presented to Council in December 2021.