‘No threat to anybody’: Man challenges fines for his off-leash dogs

His other dog, Lalo, 9 a, a Saint-Pierre Labernese mix, has severe arthritis and doesn’t move around much. Saracino thinks old dogs like these who have special needs should be allowed to be off leash in a public place under certain circumstances.

“The whole system is deeply flawed because it doesn’t take into account that the dogs are no threat to anybody,” he reasoned.

In the City of Montreal, dogs are required to be on a 1.85 m leash, maximum, when in public, unless it’s a designated dog park. He says since his dogs are special needs and docile, he allows them off leash in secluded areas in parks near his home, away from people.

“Because many of them have unfounded fears that the dogs are going to jump them and attack them,” he explained.

Saracino is now upset because in one month he was issued three tickets, each for nearly $700. The pet owner suspects he’s being targeted and harassed by a city employee.

“This fellow, the minute he sees us he pulls out his phone, he takes a picture and or film and calls the city,” he alleges.

However, dog trainer Graham Smith, who says it’s not uncommon to see dogs off leash in public, cautions that people who do it.

“Nine times of out 10, the tragedies that those stories encompass all start with, ‘My dog was off leash and normally my dog wouldn’t do this but that day …’ ”

From his point of view, it’s not a good idea to make exceptions with the law.

“When we start making exceptions for one blind dog, well, what about the three-legged dog, and well what about this and what about that?” he asked.

Some dog owners like Marie Barré agree that even though some dogs deserve an exception, giving it can can get complicated.

“I believe if we’re going to go with the exception rule, I feel like it can kinda get out of control,” she pointed out.

Saracino, meanwhile, believes exemptions can work, and plans to challenge the tickets in court.