The next time you’re about to upload a video from your hiking trip, take a moment to consider the following: Is it possible I’m doing something illegal?
That clearly wasn’t on the minds of a hiking couple in Banff National Park who had a risky run-in with a grizzly bear. The couple posted a 90-second video of the encounter to TikTok account twohumanstwodogs on July 21. It swiftly went viral: The couple yells and backs away from the burly bruin while their small dog barks in agitation.
While many online spectators expressed sympathy for the scary situation, others noted an important detail: The small dog running between them wasn’t on a leash.
That detail also didn’t go unnoticed by the wildlife officials of Parks Canada. Last week, the couple was charged with breaking the law, CBC reported. For pet owners visiting the country’s national parks, Canadian law requires them to use a leash. If found guilty, the two hikers could face a fine of up to $25,000.
“Failure to keep your pets leashed in the national parks poses risks to pets and wildlife,” a Parks Canada spokesperson told the CBC. “Bears and other wildlife may react aggressively toward dogs they view as threats, resulting in their injury or death.”
A Danger to Both People — And Bears
The bear encounter took place on Banff National Park’s Taylor Lake trail, about 15 kilometers southeast of Lake Louise. Bears are common throughout many parts of Canada, however — not just the national parks.
And the country’s rules about keeping dogs on a leash are meant to protect more than just people and their beloved pets. It’s also about protecting the bears. If a bear ends up attacking or killing a dog, they’re often killed by park officials to prevent further conflicts.
In some cases, the “euthanized” bears are well known among wildlife lovers. The bear encountered by the hiking couple in Banff — identified by Outdoor Life as Brook and Kraig Koski from Washington — is known as bear 142. It’s actually one of Banff’s most famous bears. This female grizzly has birthed several cubs in the park, making headlines numerous times.
Some wildlife experts noted that the hiking couple did have bear spray with them. However, they should have focused on putting the dog on a leash, rather than filming their encounter with the bear.
“There was so much time in the video to grab the dog and put it on a leash,” said Nick de Ruyter, program director of WildSmart for the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley.
GearJunkie reached out to Parks Canada on Tuesday for comment, but didn’t immediately hear back as of this writing.
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