Montreal man given $664 fine for tying dog to parking meter while grabbing a croissant

A Montreal man who tied his dog to a parking meter while he entered a bakery is now facing a hefty fine for breaking a law he had no idea existed.

He's warning other pet owners who may face similar fines.

"It's something that I've seen other people do, myself included," said Dimitar Beshkov, with his four-year-old mutt Indy.

On Thursday, Beshkov popped in for a croissant on Rachel Street and tied Indy to a meter outside.

When he came out, less than five minutes later, a Montreal police (SPVM) officer was waiting to give him a ticket for $664.

"That's quite a shock," he said. "I was really not expecting it. That's groceries for an entire month."

Indy was tied up outside of a cafe while his owner grabbed a croissant. The owner was given a $664 ticket for the act. (Kelly Greig, CTV News)

According to the City of Montreal's website, tying a dog to a tree or street furniture is prohibited under provincial law.

At all times, a dog must be under the control of a person capable of controlling it.

It is a law the SPCA supports.

"Though it may seem ridiculous, in these particular circumstances, very strictly regulating when dogs can be tied outside is actually sound policy in terms of animal welfare and public safety," said SPCA lawyer Sophie Gaillard.

She said that it's not a commonly known rule, and the organization is pushing for more dogs to be allowed in businesses.

"I think the issue here is perhaps in the discretion the police officer used," she said.

Beshkov said that Indy was not off his leash at any time, and he was watching him through the window. While he's well aware of other laws about dogs being supervised, this law was a shock.

"We've known about letting our dogs in the park," he said. "That's a big no-no. So we don't do it, but for doing something so simple as just grabbing baked goods for two minutes, it's, I don't know..."

He and his wife are now warning other dog owners who had no idea that this wasn't allowed.

"She posted online, [and] all our friends are very shocked to hear this. I didn't know about the law," said Beshkov.

Beshkov said he plans to contest the ticket.