Montreal City Weblog

Kate 11:21 on 2024-12-05 Permalink Reply  

• DeWolf 11:50 on 2024-12-05 Permalink

  It’s fascinating to see dog culture in different parts of the world. If you go to many parts of Europe, dogs are everywhere, they’re just a normal part of life, but they’re also very obedient. I’ve been in Hong Kong for the past several weeks and this used to be a very dog-unfriendly city, but things have changed dramatically and suddenly there’s lots of dog-friendly spaces, but in a sometimes absurd way – like dog-friendly shopping malls that are just luxurious air-conditioned dog parks on the weekend.

  Montreal is a bit hostile to dogs and I think allowing them in more places would be a good thing, but it really depends on whether they’re behaved or not. North American dog culture is generally very permissive and indulgent but that doesn’t work in an urban context. Gentrified Brooklyn is like a nightmare in that sense – spoiled dogs and spoiled children.

• steph 11:57 on 2024-12-05 Permalink

  After being bitten by a dog, I’ll NEVER be ok with being around them.

• Kevin 12:16 on 2024-12-05 Permalink

  The same people who insist that a man must be the head of the household and demand obedience in all things are the same people who let their dogs run wild and say “but he’s a good boy” when the animal attacks someone.

• Ephraim 12:45 on 2024-12-05 Permalink

  After a dog attacks someone, should we put the animal to sleep, or the owner?

  It’s like the old hotel adage: “Children and dogs are welcome – with well-behaved owners”

• JP 14:36 on 2024-12-05 Permalink

  Don’t love dogs on the metro but it was bound to happen. I’ll just move away to another section like I usually do. At least all the wagons are connected, so it’s easier to move.
  And, I thought they were supposed to be muzzled on the metro but they rarely ever are.

• Kate 17:07 on 2024-12-05 Permalink

  The permanent rule also includes a requirement for muzzles.

• Joey 21:39 on 2024-12-05 Permalink

  As a dog-owner, I am not in favour of the kind of carte blanche that a lot of dog people want – basically the right to let their pets off-leash anywhere and everywhere. However, it would be really great if there were more dog-friendly businesses – coffee shops, restaurants, etc. I can think of one Mile-End cafe that allows pets (another used to but seems to have become intolerant, I’m assuming for permit reasons), plus one pharmacy that welcomes dogs. It would be great to be able to hang out socially indoors with a chill dog (and I would be the first to split if the dog wouldn’t cooperate). I’m new to the dog owning world, but everybody tells me Montreal is about as dog-hostile as it gets in North America. Surely we can aim for middle of the pack.

• Uatu 10:10 on 2024-12-06 Permalink

  I was going to get upset about the e bike ban, but after reading it they do have a point

• jeather 10:19 on 2024-12-06 Permalink

  Lili + Oli was dog friendly for a long time, then got in trouble for it, but has I believe been inching back — mostly it’s so busy I don’t go there anymore. I am perfectly happy with a mix of dog friendly and dog unfriendly cafes and terrasses, but do feel that we do not need dog friendly pharmacies or grocery stores, things which are necessities. (That said, given it’s apparently illegal to tie your dog up outside while you run in to pick something up, we could change that.)

• walkerp 10:55 on 2024-12-06 Permalink

  Just jumping in to give you a rim shot for the “middle of the pack” line, Joey. Well played. 🙂

• CE 11:08 on 2024-12-06 Permalink

  I don’t think any business that prepares food should an allowed to have dogs inside and it’s crazy to me that there are people that think it’s ok.

• Kevin 11:17 on 2024-12-06 Permalink

  CE
  As long as the animal stays out of the food prep area I don’t mind. We do have cat cafés, after all 😉

• Kate 11:17 on 2024-12-06 Permalink

  One of my favourite local cafés is very dog-friendly. I don’t mind that dogs are welcome on the terrasse in the summer, but it isn’t a treat for me to have my coffee next to someone’s dog indoors. I don’t know whether it’s legal, but they also welcome cats and toddlers, so it’s kind of a free‑for‑all.

  I wouldn’t ask a fellow patron to move or leave with their dog, but I’d move if I had to, and I wouldn’t choose to sit down beside them.

• Joey 11:19 on 2024-12-06 Permalink

  @jeather you can get animal meds at the pharmacy, which I guess is some kind of justification (similarly, malls with pet stores allow dogs). As for the rule about tying your dog up, in our experience, neighbourhood panhandlers are always eager to keep an eye on your dog and do a great job

  @CE do you think they let the dogs in the kitchen? Next time you go grab a coffee and a croissant, count how many people wash their hands before eating (spoiler, it’s zero). Pet-friendly coffeeshops are common all over North America – are all those cities full of crazy people?

• Ian 12:14 on 2024-12-06 Permalink

  I also think public policy should accomodate my pets. Specifically, my face-sized Huntsman spiders.

• jeather 12:57 on 2024-12-06 Permalink

  You don’t need to bring the dog in to get the meds, though. I don’t care about malls, I am fine with a range of non-essential places allowing or not allowing pets as they wish, but I think that pharmacies and groceries, in particular, needn’t be pet-friendly. (I’ll accept allowing pets in actual carriers, not NYC subway “carriers”.)

  Most dog owners are fine, of course, but it would be nice if there were a lot more pushback by them against the ones who aren’t fine and let their dogs run around on the terrasse/in the playground full of kids/etc.

  I think a lot of the recent pushback is against poorly socialized dogs.

• Orr 16:18 on 2024-12-07 Permalink

  I’m of the opinion of dogs should not be allowed in most Montreal parks. I and many of my friends have had negative encounters with loose, large, aggression dogs on Mont Royal walking trails. My friend was attacked. Off-leash dogs should be a very big fine, at the minimum several hundred dollars.