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By Chris Brown

Looking for more info

Reports of dogs being sprayed on city trails being investigated

Oct 28, 2020 | 4:37 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Officers are monitoring the situation after a spray of some sort was used on a dog on an off-leash trail in the city.

The incident happened earlier this week in the East Glen trail system and was posted about in a Medicine Hat dog park Facebook group.

“We have had some concerns on Facebook and we did have a report of somebody being on the trail and their dog being sprayed with some kind of a substance that they felt was dangerous,” says Heather Trail, supervisor of municipal enforcement. “We did follow it up, they had some suspects and unfortunately the people they thought had done … it was an incorrect thing.”

Trail says she’s heard of other incidents as well and are looking for more information.

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She says in other communities runners and cyclists carry some sort of spray for extra protection from wildlife.

“If people are doing that in our community whether it’s because of coyotes that they’re looking out for or anything else, there’s nothing illegal about carrying it if that’s what it is the bear spray,” she said. “But when we get in to items such as the pepper spray then we’re looking at it, that could be a weapon and so I think it’s important people understand whatever it is they’re using and that it’s used appropriately.”

She adds that as long as people keep control of their animals, look after themselves and respect others on the trails more incidents like this shouldn’t happen.