Barking, running, and playing are activities expected to be seen at dog parks.

But a local man and his nine-year-old Shetland sheepdog, Cameron, are banned from Uplands Dog Off-Leash Park for doing just that.

Last Thursday, John Levesque was hand-delivered a letter from the City while he and Cameron were playing at the park.

sa国际传媒淚t [the letter] says myself and my dog are banned from Uplands Dog Park for six months. What happens is he [Cameron] runs along the fence. Doesnsa国际传媒檛 bother people, doesnsa国际传媒檛 bother other dogs, or kids,sa国际传媒� explained Levesque.

The letter states,sa国际传媒漎our dog Cameronsa国际传媒檚 excessive barking and your inability to keep it under voice command while in the park has led to this ban.sa国际传媒�

Langley City director of engineering Rick Bomhof, confirmed a dog park visitor was given a letter under the Parks and Facilities bylaw that banned both owner and dog from using Uplands Dog Park for six months.

Bomhof said the ban is the first time itsa国际传媒檚 happened in the City that hesa国际传媒檚 aware of.

sa国际传媒淲e donsa国际传媒檛 want to restrict people,sa国际传媒� said Bomhof.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 when itsa国际传媒檚 consistent, you lose your enjoyment if the dog is not under control. Theresa国际传媒檚 a certain expectation that you will manage your dogssa国际传媒� activities in the park and not create a nuisance to the neighbours.sa国际传媒�

According to Bomhof, the complaints came from a resident adjacent to the park, and City staff also observed the dogsa国际传媒檚 behaviour.

For Levesque, who moved to Langley two years ago, Uplands Dog Park has given him a sense of community.

In 1974, Levesque went overseas to the Middle East as a peacekeeper after the Yom Kippur War.

Since returning, he suffers post-traumatic stress disorder, and uses the dog park as an outlet for exercise and socialization.

sa国际传媒淚 went over as a kid at 24, and I came back like a man of 45. Isa国际传媒檝e seen things I should not and I still see them in my mind,sa国际传媒� explained Levesque.

My social circle and my rehab is going there [dog park] and talking with these guys, walking for an hour. It allows me to be in a safe place. When I come home I feel good, invigorated, energetic, happy. Isa国际传媒檓 looking forward to tomorrow morning.sa国际传媒�

A group of friends that Levesque made at the dog park want to get him back in the park as soon as possible.

Dog park regular Layne Pennington called the ban sa国际传媒渞idiculous.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚t seems ridiculous that a dog running and barking at a dog park is banned. Yes the dog runs up the fence and chases cars and barks, but when John walks around, he doesnsa国际传媒檛 do it. It [the ban] comes across as the City trying to appease one person.sa国际传媒�

Dave Osa国际传媒橞rien, who has been coming to the dog park for eight years said hesa国际传媒檚 sa国际传媒渟een it all.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淭he minimal amount of barking that happens here with the hour hesa国际传媒檚 [Cameron] here, does not fit the crime. Itsa国际传媒檚 got to be hard on him [Levesque] to be sitting at home right now with no one to talk to.sa国际传媒�

After consulting with Bomhof, Levesquesa国际传媒檚 ban was reduced to two months.

But Levesque is not satisfied with the agreement, because he said a condition of his return is that Cameron must be leashed until they reach the far west end of the dog park.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 an off-leash dog park. One dog has to be leashed. Hesa国际传媒檚 under twenty pounds, he wouldnsa国际传媒檛 hurt a fly. It has to be one standard for all. If itsa国际传媒檚 an off-leash dog park, itsa国际传媒檚 an off-leash dog park,sa国际传媒� said Levesque.

Bomhof said he recalls the leash requirement was the ownersa国际传媒檚 suggestion sa国际传媒渁s a compromise and it seemed reasonable.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淭he main premise here is that every dog owner must be in control of their dog at all times so as to avoid issues like this or conflicts with other dogs. If that means a person needs to keep the dog on a leash in certain areas of the park then we expect them to do that,sa国际传媒� explained Bomhof.

Levesque believes one neighbourhood house has been targeting him, as he and Cameron were also banned indefinitely from using the small-dog section of the park in 2017 for the same reason.

sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檝e ruined it for me and I donsa国际传媒檛 know who else. If Isa国际传媒檓 not there sa国际传媒� whosa国际传媒檚 next?sa国际传媒�

Levesque and his dog park friends are hoping the ban will be lifted before the two months are up.

sa国际传媒淚t shouldnsa国际传媒檛 be a ban at all. It shouldnsa国际传媒檛 of come to this. The City needed to deal with the homeowner in their own way,sa国际传媒� added Osa国际传媒橞rien.