AUSTIN -- Owners of dogs who are off their leashes at Vic Mathias Shores on Town Lake after Jan. 25 could be fines up to $500.
The Austin City Council passed an ordinance in September as a way to ease concerns and stop complaints. Park Ranger LeAnn Ishcomer said dogs off leash is the number one complaint the Parks and Recreation Department receives.
"We're preventing erosion, we're minimizing the negative interaction and we're increasing safety for everybody who uses the park," Ishcomer said.
Vic Mathias Shores is connected to Auditorium Shores, which has a 4.5 acre off-leash dog park. The dog park at Auditorium Shores provides a fenced in area, green space, and a place to rinse off your dog.
For Alex Soderqvist, who walks his rescue dogs daily at Auditorium Shores, he feels the off-leash dog park isn't enough. Soderqvist wants the entire park to be off-leash.
"It's just smaller space. You know here people have a wider big field and it's next to the cars as well," Soderqvist said.
Austin Police Lt. Robert Hightower said if a person receives a ticket, the amount that person is to pay will be up to the court. He hopes everyone will comply with the new law.
"We've been telling people for four months this was coming. I do anticipate that some people will try to walk their dogs off leash in on-leash areas," Hightower said.
Over the coming days the city will put together alerts to remind people of the changes coming to Vic Mathias Shores.
