James Eastham, a spokesperson for Parks Canada’s Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay field unit, told the CBC that “Failure to keep your pets leashed in the national parks poses risks to pets and wildlife. Bears and other wildlife may react aggressively toward dogs they view as threats, resulting in their injury or death.”
Canadian law states that people must keep their pets on a leash of three metres or less in national parks. If found guilty, the two hikers could face a fine of up to $25,000!
In other words, it's not illegal to take a dog on a hike in grizzly country in Canada, only that it must be kept on a leash. However, multiple studies and historical analyses by wildlife biologists indicate that the presence of dogs more than doubles the odds of a human-bear conflict, and frequently acts as a catalyst for defensive attacks. Most recently, a "New analysis of more than 300 bear encounters suggests our canine companions often increase odds of conflict and rarely serve as early warning systems many recreationists assume." You can find more statistics here.
In America, dogs are not allowed on backcountry trails in most national parks. However, I've seen several hikers flout this law in places like Glacier, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain and the Great Smoky Mountains.
Here's a CTV News report, which includes the social media video that led to the charges:
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Check out our online trail guides:
- Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com
- Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com
- Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
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