Off-leash dog chasing bear in Canmore prompts resident to speak out

A video of an off-leash dog chasing after a bear in Canmore has one resident who witnessed the incident calling on dog owners to follow the rules. 

Derek Bisbing was paddling the town's reservoir in late July with his wife, daughter and a family friend when they saw the bear making its way toward the water.

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Bisbing said that is when he and his party stopped to watch. 

"She came wandering down to the shore, had a little drink, hopped in, swam across and hopped up onto the other side," he said. 

That's when they noticed a woman on that very embankment with three dogs — all of which were off leash. 

At that point, Bisbing's wife calls out to the woman. 

"There's a bear right here," she yells.

Bisbing chimes in: "Between us."

And finally his friend shouts: "Put your dog on a leash!"

At that moment, one dog can be seen running after the bear, with its owner frantically screaming at it to come back. 

"Marley, come! Marley!"

Seconds later, the dog returned to its owner — luckily, without the bear. 

The group immediately called Canmore dispatch, and they said bylaw and conservation officers were dispatched, but they were told the woman was not located.

Bisbing said this situation highlights the importance of following the town's bylaws, which state that dogs are not allowed to be at large in Canmore and must be under the control of their owners at all times. 

"People think that they're just out for a walk in their backyard — and they are, it's an awesome backyard," he said. "Except that it's not just us. There [are] big animals."

Bisbing said this area, near the Grassi Lakes waterfalls, is notorious for bears and other wildlife — and even had to be closed a few times last year because animals were spotted "eating carcasses."

And, he said, it's just minutes away from the Quarry Lake Dog Park, where dogs are allowed to run free. 

Bisbing said the rules are in place not only to protect people and pets, but also the wildlife and its habitat.

He said it's lucky nothing bad happened to the dog, its owner and his family this time.

"Is that bear going to come back up the embankment and go after her? Or go after us in the canoe? Or is something going to happen where all of a sudden that bear is a problem bear and needs to be destroyed?" he said. 

 "There [are] so many consequences to that seemingly innocent moment of just having your dog off leash for a walk."

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