Banff Hikers Face $25,000 Fines After Off-Leash Dog Barked at Grizzly Bear
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 26
Banff Hikers Face $25,000 Fines After Off-Leash Dog Barked at Grizzly Bear
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 26
Summary
Brook and Kraig Koski were charged under the Canada National Parks Act after wardens identified them from a viral video showing their dog off leash during a Banff grizzly encounter.
About 90 seconds of footage from the Taylor Lake trail shows the small dog running between the hikers and Bear 142, repeatedly barking as Kraig Koski backed away carrying bear spray.
Parks Canada said pets must be secured on leashes no longer than 3 meters, warning that loose dogs can trigger aggressive wildlife reactions and endanger both animals and people.
Nick de Ruyter of WildSmart backed the charges, saying the hikers had ample time to grab and leash the dog instead of continuing to film.
Bear 142, a 16-year-old female grizzly in Banff, is part of Alberta's threatened grizzly population, underscoring wider concerns about wildlife stress and habitat disruption from off-leash dogs.