Man wants off-leash parks for Charlottetown's canines

A Charlottetown man is asking city hall to ease up on its leash laws and develop a policy to provide more freedom for the city's dogs.

The city's bylaw requires dogs to be on a leash anytime they're on city property, but Dan James wants to change that.

James argues the number of dog bites have dropped dramatically in cities with off-leash policies, including New York City.

"There would be areas in the city that would be designated. A lot of cities are doing different times of the day, so early in the morning and later in the evening in certain parks. So it's really a comprehensive strategy that talks a lot about public education, about dog safety, [and] the proper behaviour for dogs and owners," he said.

James said he wants to meet with the city's Parks and Recreation Department to talk about his idea.

There are two off-leash dog parks in Charlottetown, but neither is on city land.