Dog owners are voicing their concerns, after the City of West Kelowna, B.C., removed all tables and chairs from all public dog parks.
The city told Global News, “The dog parks were having issues with some owners not watching their pets and this was causing unsafe run ins between animals and people, and some people not picking up after pets.”
“This is a public facility, and to me, park benches or picnic tables or whatever they may be should be allowed,” said park user Amanda Chaplin.
Aside from the inconvenience, some argue that the lack of seating makes the park less inclusive for seniors and people with disabilities.
“It’s disappointing because I have a disability, I have arthritis, I park in a handicap spot, it’s hard enough to have a dog in one hand, and a jug in one hand, and the city is saying to bring your own chair. Well, how do I do that?” said Doug Pylatuk, park user.
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The furniture also acts as a shield to both small dogs and the owners.
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Pylatuk, a senior, says being in a chair blocks high-energy dogs from hitting him.
“When the dogs are playing in the park, I have to back away from there because dogs get rambunctious. It’s much safer for me if I can sit in a chair or a table to get away from the dogs, because I got hurt many times here,” said Pylatuk.
The City of West Kelowna confirmed to Global News Friday afternoon that staff will be installing benches and expects them to be in place early to mid-February.
Until then, residents are asked to bring temporary seating.