Barking, running, and playing are activities expected to be seen at dog parks.
But a local man and his nine-year-old Shetland sheepdog, Cameron, are banned from Uplands Dog Off-Leash Park for doing just that.
Last Thursday, John Levesque was hand-delivered a letter from the City while he and Cameron were playing at the park.
乌鸦传媒淚t [the letter] says myself and my dog are banned from Uplands Dog Park for six months. What happens is he [Cameron] runs along the fence. Doesn乌鸦传媒檛 bother people, doesn乌鸦传媒檛 bother other dogs, or kids,乌鸦传媒� explained Levesque.
The letter states,乌鸦传媒漎our dog Cameron乌鸦传媒檚 excessive barking and your inability to keep it under voice command while in the park has led to this ban.乌鸦传媒�
Langley City director of engineering Rick Bomhof, confirmed a dog park visitor was given a letter under the Parks and Facilities bylaw that banned both owner and dog from using Uplands Dog Park for six months.
Bomhof said the ban is the first time it乌鸦传媒檚 happened in the City that he乌鸦传媒檚 aware of.
乌鸦传媒淲e don乌鸦传媒檛 want to restrict people,乌鸦传媒� said Bomhof.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 when it乌鸦传媒檚 consistent, you lose your enjoyment if the dog is not under control. There乌鸦传媒檚 a certain expectation that you will manage your dogs乌鸦传媒� activities in the park and not create a nuisance to the neighbours.乌鸦传媒�
According to Bomhof, the complaints came from a resident adjacent to the park, and City staff also observed the dog乌鸦传媒檚 behaviour.
For Levesque, who moved to Langley two years ago, Uplands Dog Park has given him a sense of community.
In 1974, Levesque went overseas to the Middle East as a peacekeeper after the Yom Kippur War.
Since returning, he suffers post-traumatic stress disorder, and uses the dog park as an outlet for exercise and socialization.
乌鸦传媒淚 went over as a kid at 24, and I came back like a man of 45. I乌鸦传媒檝e seen things I should not and I still see them in my mind,乌鸦传媒� explained Levesque.
My social circle and my rehab is going there [dog park] and talking with these guys, walking for an hour. It allows me to be in a safe place. When I come home I feel good, invigorated, energetic, happy. I乌鸦传媒檓 looking forward to tomorrow morning.乌鸦传媒�
A group of friends that Levesque made at the dog park want to get him back in the park as soon as possible.
Dog park regular Layne Pennington called the ban 乌鸦传媒渞idiculous.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淚t seems ridiculous that a dog running and barking at a dog park is banned. Yes the dog runs up the fence and chases cars and barks, but when John walks around, he doesn乌鸦传媒檛 do it. It [the ban] comes across as the City trying to appease one person.乌鸦传媒�
Dave O乌鸦传媒橞rien, who has been coming to the dog park for eight years said he乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒渟een it all.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淭he minimal amount of barking that happens here with the hour he乌鸦传媒檚 [Cameron] here, does not fit the crime. It乌鸦传媒檚 got to be hard on him [Levesque] to be sitting at home right now with no one to talk to.乌鸦传媒�
After consulting with Bomhof, Levesque乌鸦传媒檚 ban was reduced to two months.
But Levesque is not satisfied with the agreement, because he said a condition of his return is that Cameron must be leashed until they reach the far west end of the dog park.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 an off-leash dog park. One dog has to be leashed. He乌鸦传媒檚 under twenty pounds, he wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 hurt a fly. It has to be one standard for all. If it乌鸦传媒檚 an off-leash dog park, it乌鸦传媒檚 an off-leash dog park,乌鸦传媒� said Levesque.
Bomhof said he recalls the leash requirement was the owner乌鸦传媒檚 suggestion 乌鸦传媒渁s a compromise and it seemed reasonable.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淭he main premise here is that every dog owner must be in control of their dog at all times so as to avoid issues like this or conflicts with other dogs. If that means a person needs to keep the dog on a leash in certain areas of the park then we expect them to do that,乌鸦传媒� explained Bomhof.
Levesque believes one neighbourhood house has been targeting him, as he and Cameron were also banned indefinitely from using the small-dog section of the park in 2017 for the same reason.
乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檝e ruined it for me and I don乌鸦传媒檛 know who else. If I乌鸦传媒檓 not there 乌鸦传媒� who乌鸦传媒檚 next?乌鸦传媒�
Levesque and his dog park friends are hoping the ban will be lifted before the two months are up.
乌鸦传媒淚t shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 be a ban at all. It shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 of come to this. The City needed to deal with the homeowner in their own way,乌鸦传媒� added O乌鸦传媒橞rien.
