City removes 'no barking' signs at Montreal dog park following public outcry

Montreal's Saint-Leonard borough has removed the "no barking" signs at a local dog park after the message was "misinterpreted" by the public.

According to a borough spokesperson, the plan was not to fine all owners with barking dogs; rather, "the intent was to target excessive behaviour."

"However, understanding that the message was misinterpreted, the borough has removed the signs," reads a statement from Anne-Émilie Thibault sent to CTV News on Friday.

Installed last week at the park on Jean-Talon Street and Provencher Boulevard, the signs stated that "it is forbidden to let your dog bark, whine, or howl," with the threat of a $500 to $2,000 fine attached.

The addition unleashed fury among some local dog owners, who said the rule was too rigid and lamented that they weren't consulted beforehand.

But the city noted that the measure existed before the signs were hung up.

"The intention of the borough behind these signs was first and foremost to remind a municipal bylaw already in effect [and to] remind dog owners that they must make sure to respect the peace and quiet of the residents who live in the vicinity," Thibault's statement continues.

The City of Montreal has two bylaws on dog supervision in place to “preserve public health or safety and to limit nuisances,” said a city spokesperson in a statement.

 “Barking, if excessive, is considered a nuisance, and the boroughs intervene in order to promote harmonious cohabitation between users of the public domain,” it continued.

The city says boroughs can implement measures to reduce noise at dog parks depending on where the park is located and how often it’s used.

Last week, the borough said it's developing other measures to combat disruptions at the dog park, including adding a fence or hedge to try to limit the noise.