Dog owners in Grand Junction will face stiffer penalties for letting their animal run without a leash in the future. While penalties are already in place for dogs without a leash, city council members vote Wednesday night for surcharges associated with those fines.
With a new dog park opening in the northern section of Canyon View Park the fine surcharges are planned to go towards the operational costs of the park.
Currently a first offense for having a dog off a leash is $50, $100 for a second offense and up to $500 for a fourth offense.
Several city council members said that current ordinances are ineffective, however with the completion of the dog park, owners will no longer have an excuse for having a dog off of a leash. With a $25 surcharge attached to every violation city officials say using taxpayer revenue to pay for the park will be unnecessary.
The dog park will be the only place in Grand Junction to have a dog off a leash and it's expected to open sometime this fall.
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