Pick up after pooches: town

It may not look like it but spring officially has arrived—and with it will come more outdoor activities, including dog-walking.
But the town is reminding dog owners to be responsible by keeping their canines on leashes and picking up their poop.

Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft said he has had “more than a couple people” approach him recently about dogs running loose and about people not picking up the feces.
Coun. Wiedenhoeft noted he was contacted about dogs running loose on the Eighth Street ski trails. While this is an area where dogs can run off-leash, owners are urged to stay with them and collect any excrement.
He mentioned one incident where a dog on the trails jumped up on a group of children touring the trails, adding “be a considerate pet owner when it comes to turning your dog loose.”
Coun. Wiedenhoeft said the dog poop problem is even more prevalent along the La Verendrye Parkway (Front Street).
“I know it’s a $70 fine and it’s very difficult to catch these people, but it’s just common courtesy and common sense,” he stressed.
“If you’re going to walk your dog on the waterfront, just please pick up your dog’s feces.
“It’s just going to get worse as the springtime comes and the snow begins to melt,” Coun. Wiedenhoeft added.
It’s just common courtesy,” he reiterated.
Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig noted the issue has been brought up many times.
The riverfront is an area that many people enjoy, and “it’s a pretty degrading job” for town workers to have to go there each spring and clean up dog waste just because somebody can’t be responsible for their dog, he remarked.
“We see it happen, we’re going to lay a charge because everybody knows it’s common sense—you just don’t do that,” McCaig added.
In other news, the town now will charge a $25 fee for the transfer of business licences.
While the town charges $42.45 for the issuing of a standard business licence, its fee schedule has not included a nominal fee for the transfer of such a licence.
At times, a business owner will want to transfer an existing licence to another person part-way through the year.
Staff have to spend time to review such an application and process a new licence in the name of the transferee.
Given the time required to process such an application is somewhat less than for a new or renewed licence, a nominal fee of $25 will be charged for future transfers.
Council agreed to this change at its regular meeting last Thursday night.