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City of Toronto staff will be visiting the owners of 373 dangerous dogs across the city over the next month.
Staff will be reminding owners of the requirements of dangerous dog orders, as well as delivering new signs which must be visibly posted on the owner’s property. Any residents found to be in non-compliance with any part of the order face “fines of up to $615 or a court-issued fine of up to $100,000 upon conviction.”
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All dangerous dog owners must muzzle their dogs in public, obtain a dangerous dog tag, provide socialization and training to their dogs, and not use off-leash areas.
The owners will also be subject to regular compliance checks.
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Toronto city council approved new measures in March, including increased enforcement, a public list of dangerous dogs, a standard dangerous dog warning sign, and access to discounted dog trainings for those with dangerous dogs who cannot afford training.
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The changes follow an increase in dog attacks since 2022, including an incident last summer when an East York woman was mauled by two dogs and suffered life-altering injuries to her ear, shoulder and calf, and an attack last month at Little Norway Park, near Lake Shore Boulevard West and Bathurst Street, that left a child with serious, life-altering injuries.
In both cases the dogs were already under Dangerous Dog Orders, and the owners were arrested.
In addition to the new changes, Toronto city council has also requested the province to amend the Dog Owners’ Liability Act to strengthen the processes to deal with dog maulings.
“Making our city safe means preventing negative encounters with dangerous dogs in public spaces. If someone observes a dangerous dog without its muzzle or in an off-leash dog park, a complaint can be made to 311 and the matter will be investigated as soon as possible,” Olivia Chow said in a statement. “The simple act of keeping dogs on leashes protects everyone in the community.”
There are currently 79 dogs off-leash areas across Toronto, with 10 more expected to open in the next five years. Otherwise, residents are required to keep their dogs on leashes when out in public.
The city also maintains a public list of dangerous dogs that includes the first three digits of the postal code for the dog owner, ward number, the dog’s name, breed and colour, and the date of the dangerous act.
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