Water is wet and dogs like to bark. The City of Toronto didn’t exactly get the memo when they posted a sign at a dog park limiting the amount of barking that occurs.
The sign posted at St. Andrew’s Playground Dog Park warned dog owners to “not allow your dogs to bark and disturb the neighbourhood” and shocked those who frequent the spot. “Living in a big city, there’s noises all around. The idea of not having dogs bark in a dog park is ridiculous,” said pup owner Nathan Long.
The sign was added to the double-latched and fenced-off dog park in late January 2023 and read “due to the closeness of area residents, do not allow your dogs to bark and disturb the neighbourhood. Excessive barking will not be tolerated. Please be a responsible dog owner and follow all posted off-leash area rules.”
Obviously, the idea of attempting to control one dog’s barking, let alone several dogs, is absolutely crazy to most people. Dog owner Lee-Tal Hatuka voiced these concerns by saying, “if my dog is barking, there is only so much I can do to help combat that. My dog is very well-trained but he is still a dog.”
While at the park, Hatuka said she could hear other noisy distractions that were much louder than any dogs barking. “I hear garbage trucks, I hear traffic, I hear the odd siren from cop cars, from ambulances. We’re in the city, it’s expected,” she said.
A spokesperson for the city originally said the city needs to “balance the needs of a range of park users and local communities.” Fortunately, the signs came down shortly after they were posted.
“Although the sign was placed at this location with the intention of helping users of the off-leash area and neighbouring residents coexist harmoniously, we recognize that the information did not meet the mark,” a statement from the city read.
“The City will be reviewing its sign approval process to ensure clear communication in future signs.”
Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/9536972/toronto-sign-barking-dog-park-removed/