Complaints

Stratford Dog Park Association

Complaint Resolution Procedures

The Association will monitor complaints to identify dogs which offend and need to be more effectively handled to ensure that dogs and their owners are able to enjoy the Park without fear of injury and harassment. Complaints about owners who do not clean up, bring in food, allow their dogs which are not spayed or neutered to upset other dogs, bring in unsupervised children, etc. will also be followed up. Park users are encouraged to report incidents they witness of dog harassment or attacks and those times when owners are not controlling their dogs. Your participation matters.

Education is an important part of the complaint process. As the Park is new, many owners are still learning the dynamics of off leash dog behaviour. Some complaints will be about normal behaviour, while some owners still need to learn to intervene before a problem occurs, as well as to discipline their dogs more frequently.

Park users are asked to make friendly requests to other users who are not respecting the Rules and to make appropriate suggestions to those not properly handling their dogs. Report the conduct when these methods are ignored or rebuked. Any complaint involving a dog can also be taken to Animal Control, rather than to the Association, and they will take appropriate action. It is the opinion of the Board however that it is preferable that this Park and the Association be self regulating so as to best meet the needs of all Park users.

COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

1. Any Park user can report a complaint to the Complaint Committee or to an Association Director who will pass on the report. Obtain as much information as possible about the event and use the complaints form if available.

2. The Committee will contact the people involved and any witnesses available to determine the circumstances and cause of the incident.

3. The Committee as a whole, or individuals on it, will rate the complaint on a point scale of 0 to 5 – with 5 being the most serious.

4. As points are accumulated by dogs, and their owners, a graduated response from the Committee will occur.

· When 5 points are reached a letter will be sent outlining how the behaviour can be improved upon.

· At 7 points a meeting will be held between the owner and the Committee.

· At 10 points the dog will either be banned from the Park or be required to wear a muzzle. As such, two serious events can result in banning.

Click HERE for a Complaint Resolution Form, Adobe pdf file format.

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