Dogs and Wildlife

As hard as it is to imagine, some dog owners allow their dogs to chase and kill our park wildlife. Even if not encouraged by owners, loose dogs pose a threat to our urban wildlife who already face extreme pressures to survive in a difficult environment.

Disturbance of wildlife by our dogs causes stress and interferes with feeding and breeding activities. Wild animals must burn precious energy to evade our dogs, energy that they need to forage, breed and escape wild predators. Just like us, these stressors can make our wildlife more prone to illness and disease.

Dog waste may contain disease causing bacteria, viruses and/or parasites that can be passed along to our wild neighbours. This can lead to increased wildlife mortality. It is important to note that our dogs can also pick up pathogens from wild animals. Keeping dogs on leash and on trail keeps everybody safe.