Rejoice! You can FINALLY walk outside with your dog!

Ever felt like the only place you can let your dog off leash is in your own backyard? The second I step foot out of my home I am bombarded with sign after sign indicating the restriction of dogs on the premise. According to Statistics Canada, 68% of Canadian households have a pet; 60.2% of these households own a dog. In a time when obesity is at an all-time high and everyone preaches the importance of activity, why is it that our walking-companions are banned from nearly every local exercise area?

Well, that's all about to end - in Quebec that is. A two-year long pilot project has finally concluded and the verdict is in: Dogs are allowed in all Quebec National Parks. SEPAQ, the conservation team in charge of all national parks in Quebec has been blown away by how well their dog-friendly pilot project has worked! And now, they're calling upon other organizations to follow suit.

From the day I picked up my puppy I have been struggling with new activities to do with her. Every single park around my house has banned all dogs.  Dogs are not allowed in most establishments and the only "local" dog parks are over 40 minutes away from my house! Every Saturday morning Darcy and I venture out to Bruce Pit, one of the largest dog parks in Ottawa. This, not unlike everything else in the dog world, is a huge commitment. By the time I've dragged Darcy out of the park (she can't stop playing with her friends) and made my way home, it's already been nearly 4 hours since I left! Which is completely unacceptable.

Every day I hear news reports claiming we are currently living in the most inactive and obese era that humankind has ever seen. What I don't understand is that we are constantly being told this yet nobody is taking action to fix the problem? The solution is VERY EASY. We need to adopt the European style and allow pets to travel with us EVERYWHERE. 

If you've ever been to Paris, London or anywhere in the UK you will have noticed how involved everyone is with their pets. Just this last summer I was in Scotland and a man brought his Boxer on the train to work with him in the morning. Later that trip I was in a Café in Edinburgh and a beautiful english bulldog was sleeping under the chair next to me. Yet, in Canada, we aren't even allowed to walk down the street without being greeted by the sign above: NO DOGS ALLOWED. 

I understand that not all people like dogs. But, NEWS FLASH - Not all People Like People. yet we still find a way to behave around one another! 

Okay okay I'm being a little ridiculous. But you know what else is ridiculous? My brother can't bring his Beagle (see picture below) along to the park when him and his little daughter go for their daily walk anymore because of that little sign above. I have to drive all the way through town to reach my cottage, drop off my dog and then head back into town because I don't want to leave my dog in the car while I do groceries because she is not allowed to come in with me. Mont-Tremblant, Mont-Saint-Marie, any attraction remotely close to Ottawa - you name it; Dogs are most likely banned from attending. THAT IS RIDICULOUS.

I guess what I'm trying to get to is that society is trying to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle yet they ban one of the easiest avenues to such a lifestyle - since I got my pup, my activity level has gone up tenfold. Ask any dog owner - whether it be snowing, raining or blazing heat, we get up every day and bring our four-legged companion for their walk because they deserve it! Dogs get you out and moving no matter what. 

What SEPAQ has done is just the beginning. I applaud them for allowing dogs on all of the Quebec National Parks however the rest of Canadian society needs to follow suit. 68% of Canadian Households have pets and these pets are part of their family. Don't you think it's time we start allowing them to travel as a family?