Opinion: Edmonton’s Off-Leash Epidemic; The “He’s Friendly” Excuse Has to End By Jenna Sooley, Professional Dog Trainer — Canine Blueprint Training

You tell yourself your dog’s different. He listens. He’s friendly. He just needs to stretch his legs. You look around, no one’s there… so you unclip the leash and let him run. You’re not a bad owner. You love your dog. You care about exercise, enrichment, and freedom. But somewhere along the way, “just for a minute” became an epidemic; one that’s leaving responsible dog owners, professionals, and even service teams across Edmonton hurt, fearful, and angry.

This isn’t just a minor bylaw issue. It’s a public safety problem. And it’s growing fast. Every off-leash dog owner says the same thing: “My dog’s friendly.”

But friendly doesn’t mean safe.

I’ve heard every version of this story.

A trainer walking a group of clients in a park… a normal day, leashes on, structure in place. An off-leash dog charged the group, The trainer stepped in to protect her clients and as a result had her finger amputated. She will live with a permanent injury because someone decided the rules didn’t apply to them. The attacking dogs are still at large.

Lauren lives near Star Blanket Park in south Edmonton with her K9 search and rescue partner, Walter: a 90-pound working dog trained to locate missing people and disaster victims. Walter is certified for deployments to drownings, earthquakes, tsunamis, and cadaver searches.But despite that purpose, Walter can’t train safely in his own neighbourhood.

“My K9 partner routinely gets charged by off-leash dogs when we visit the neighboring park or use city trails,” Lauren wrote to me. “His first interactions with off-leash, dangerous dogs were very negative, and it’s set us back years.”

Because of repeated attacks and intimidation from off-leash dogs, Walter’s progress toward certification has been delayed by over a year.

“Part of the K9 SAR test requires milling and the presence of other dogs and people,” she explained. “He’s been set back an entire year in the certification process — in that year, who knows how many lives he could have saved, or closure could have been brought to families looking for loved ones?”

Lauren now spends $80 a month on extra habituation training, two evenings a week, on top of regular SAR work. That’s time and money she’ll have to commit for the rest of Walter’s life.

“He’ll never be 100% again. The general ignorance of other dog owners is staggering. People become angry when reminded of the law, and yet they’re the ones putting others at risk.”

Countless times every single week, reactive or nervous dogs, dogs in training, dogs recovering from injury, dogs who’ve finally learned to trust again are rushed by “friendly” off-leash dogs in on-leash areas. The emotional setback is enormous. It’s not just fear; it’s trauma, regression, and sometimes new aggression caused entirely by one preventable encounter.

It’s not just trainers or working dogs who are suffering—it’s everyday people just trying to walk their companions safely through their neighbourhoods.

One Edmonton resident, who asked to remain anonymous, described years of chronic stress just trying to walk her dog in on-leash areas. “We’ve been charged multiple times by off-leash dogs in places that are clearly marked,” she said. “Every time I report it, I’m told to call 311, but without a name or address, there’s nothing the city can do.”

Her frustration boiled over during one particularly hostile encounter: “I yelled at the owners to leash their dogs, and they mocked me, saying, ‘Relax, nothing happened.’ But something did happen: my safety and my dog’s safety were put at risk because of someone’s entitlement. These people act like leash laws don’t apply to them.”

She now walks early in the morning or late at night to avoid encounters entirely. “It’s not fair that I have to change my routine because other people can’t follow basic rules,” she said. “This isn’t about dog friendliness. It’s about safety and respect.”

We all love our dogs. That’s not up for debate. But leash laws exist for a reason. They not to punish you or limit your dog’s joy, but to protect others. Not everyone’s dog is friendly. Not everyone is physically capable of managing an encounter. And not every environment is safe for off-leash play.

When your dog runs up “just to say hi,” you don’t know if the other dog has pain issues, reactivity, or a bite history. You don’t know if the person holding that leash has spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours trying to build their dog’s confidence.

That one off-leash moment can undo months of progress at the least and at most, cause injury or worse.

Here’s the part no one likes to admit: even the best-trained dogs are still animals. They can make bad decisions, react unexpectedly, or become overstimulated. When that happens, it’s not just the other dog who pays the price, it's your dog too.

Edmonton has over 80 designated off-leash areas. That’s more than enough space for dogs to run freely. So why do we still see loose dogs in every schoolyard, park trail, and green space across the city?

Because people know nothing will happen.

There’s no meaningful enforcement. No consistent fines. And no fear of consequence. So rule-breaking spreads … one “no one’s around” moment at a time and now its normal.

But it’s not normal. It’s selfish. And it’s unsafe.

We need to stop pretending this is a matter of opinion and start treating it like the public safety issue it is. We need higher fines, more enforcement officers, and faster follow-up on reports. If a person can be fined for not picking up waste, they should absolutely be fined for letting their dog run loose and cause injury.

And make no mistake these are injuries. Not inconveniences. Not “bad luck.” They’re physical, emotional, and long-lasting. I want to see this enforced like car accidents are enforced, because the damage done in these events can be equal to the effect a car accident of any severity can have on someone. Lives can be lost.

To the “friendly dog” owners:

I know most of you don’t mean harm. You genuinely believe your dog’s good nature makes it safe. You think you have control, and that you’re careful, but every off-leash encounter you think “went fine” still teaches your dog that approaching others without permission is okay. It isn’t. It’s rude at best and dangerous at worst.

When you unclip that leash, you’re not just giving your dog freedom. You’re taking it away from someone else; the owner who now has to cross the street, change their walking routes, or walk at odd hours just to avoid you.

You’re saying your dog’s comfort matters more than everyone else’s safety.

Don’t be that person

You know the one. The one yelling “He’s friendly!” across a field.  The one who rolls their eyes when asked to leash up. The one who says, “Relax, nothing happened.

Don’t be that person.

Be the owner who steps up, not out.  Be the one who models respect instead of excuses.  Be the reason someone can finally enjoy their walk again. Because when you leash up, you’re not just following a bylaw you’re giving every other dog owner the space to breathe, the safety to train, and the peace of mind they deserve.

It’s time to take this seriously

Off-leash in on-leash areas isn’t just a “dog thing.” It’s a people thing. It's an entitlement issue. It’s carelessness. It’s the erosion of shared respect in our community. Edmonton is better than this. We can still fix it. But we need to stop shrugging and start enforcing. We need accountability and we need it now!

To the City of Edmonton: raise the fines. Increase patrols. Take reports seriously.

To dog owners: leash up. Follow the law. Respect your neighbours. Because the next time a “friendly” dog runs loose, it might not just ruin someone’s walk. It might ruin their life.