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FAQs
Impact of Dogs in Parks
Capilano River Dog Management Pilot Program Feedback

Dogs in Metro Vancouver Parks 

You are welcome to walk your dog in almost all Metro Vancouver Regional Parks. So round up your dog, grab the leash, stretch your legs and come out and explore!

 
Canine Code of Conduct
  1.  Keep your dog under control in all places at all times. Dogs must be leashed, unless in a designated off-leash area.
  2. Clean up after your dog. Scoop up its poop and deposit the bag in a garbage bin (not the forest). Leave all trails as clean—or cleaner—than when you arrived.
  3. Respect wildlife and their habitat—you and your dog are in their home.
  4. Keep your dog out of streams, creeks, ponds, wetlands, and shorelines. A variety of wildlife lives in these areas including fish, frogs, salamanders, a host of aquatic creatures, and a variety of birds.
  5. Keep your dog from digging or causing damage.
  6. Yield the right-of-way to other hikers. Keep your dog close to you and under control as others pass by.
  7. Yield the right-of-way to equestrians. Say hello so riders know you are there, and keep your dog close to you, quiet and under control as horses pass by.
  8. Always be courteous. Don't give other trail users any reason to complain. Set an example for others by being a conscientious owner with a well-behaved dog out enjoying the trails.
The Scoop on Poop

Myth buster
Dog poop is not fertilizer. It’s full of bacteria, nitrogen and salts which don’t dissolve and can be very harmful to plants, aquatic life, and humans.

Since dogs are meat eaters, their feces can carry pathogens including coliform bacteria, salmonella, and giardia which can contaminate soil and water (and make people sick). Some parasites can linger in soil for years. This can put young children at risk if they inadvertently eat contaminated dirt or grass. Persons confined to hand-activated wheel chairs and active sports participants may also be at risk.

What about horse poop?
Horses are herbivores (eat grasses, plants). Their manure (in small amounts) is organic and biodegradable, and tends to dissolve quickly. Horse manure does not contain the contaminates, bacteria, and salts that dog poop does.

It adds up!
In 2010, 10 million visits were made to Metro Vancouver Regional Parks. It’s estimated that 24% (2.4 million) of these visits included a dog. A medium sized dog (e.g., like a cocker spaniel) discharges 0.34 kg of feces and about 720 ml of urine each day. Based on these standards, approximately 961 half-ton truckloads of feces and 513 oil drums of urine are deposited in Metro Vancouver parks each year.

... And it gets around
It has been observed that dogs typically defecate along the first 100–150 metres of a trail. Two or three days’ worth of droppings from about 100 dogs can contribute enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay (and watershed areas within 30 kilometres of it) to swimming and shell fishing.

Safety Tips for you and your dog

Ensure that both you and your dog have an enjoyable visit in regional parks. Here are a few tips:

On the trails:

  1. Choose a hike to match your dog’s ability. Dogs, like people, need to be conditioned for exercising. Start slowly, and don’t ask your dog to do too much too soon, especially if your dog is a puppy. For an older dog, long hikes may not be fun, especially if the dog has arthritis or any other medical condition. Like people, the dog may feel the effects of a long jaunt later! Your awareness will play a big role in the success of your outing.
  2. Carry water for both you and your dog. Water from streams, ponds or puddles is not always available or safe to drink. Carry lots of water, especially if the weather is hot.
  3. Keep your dog out of creeks, streams and away from shorelines. Many of the waterways in regional parks are rearing habitat for salmon and trout. Dogs that consume raw salmon and trout run the risk of infection from bacteria that some carry, including a parasitic trematode worm that can cause death in infected dogs. If you think your dog may have eaten raw salmon or trout, contact your veterinarian immediately.
  4. Keep your dog from eating plants, which may include noxious weeds (e.g., foxtail)
  5. Check for wood ticks, especially after a hike in the mountains in spring. Ticks can carry a variety of diseases that dogs can catch, including lyme disease. Look carefully in the neck and head area, and underbelly. Try to brush any ticks off, and crush them. If you find one embedded in your dog, remove it with a tick removal tool without squeezing it. Check with your vet if you have any concerns.
  6. Check and treat your dog’s foot pads for injury. Your dog’s foot pads might not be used to hard and rocky, or gravel surfaces, if it’s used to walking only on soft grass, check for cracking, sores, and punctures.
  7. Stay on the trails and out of the bush. Avoid natural hazards by staying on the trails and keeping your dog on the trails, too.

In off-leash areas

When in the off-leash area:

  1. Be sure your dog wants to be there. Some dogs, like people, are shy and would rather not be in an off-leash area with several other dogs.
  2. Keep your dog in sight and under voice control Your dog must be supervised at all times, even in the off-leash area.
  3. Leash up immediately if your dog—or another dog—becomes aggressive. Dogs can get rambunctious whilst romping around in groups. Stop any fights before they start.

Resources

Fast Facts