The city of Toronto needs to enact a bylaw that would prevent people from leaving dogs unattended on balconies for extended periods of time.
A residential balcony is not a yard. It is dangerous to dogs, residents, and the public. Dogs in said situation can face extreme weather conditions, violate noise bylaws, expel excrement on the public, and risk falling to their death. It therefore poses health and safety hazards for the citizens of Toronto.
Such bylaw should be adapted from the City of Mississauga's enforceable tethering bylaws, including but not limited to:
1) "no person shall leave a dog on their balcony unless the person is outside with the dog at all times or the dog is in plain view at all times from inside tenants/owners unit."
2) "allow the dog to have access to adequate water, food, shelter and shade. "
3) "no person shall leave a dog out on a residential balcony for more than one (1) consecutive hour in a 24 hour period."
Failing to abide by this bylaw should result in a fine of $350. If the owner is unreachable and the dog has been outside for more than an hour, emergency services and animal control may intervene to remove the dog from said situation until the owner can be located.
Both the citizens and the dogs of Toronto deserve to be safe from neglect and harm.
