Boss of Banff National Park caught on camera walking dog-off leash – that’s illegal in Canada’s national parks

“With a commitment to upholding this same standard, Parks Canada has completed an investigation, and the matter is now considered closed.”

BANFF – The head of Banff National Park field unit has been caught on camera walking his dog off-leash on Tunnel Mountain, flouting park rules that legally require dogs to be leashed in Canada’s national parks at all times.

A photo of Salman Rasheed walking his dog, Max, on the Tunnel Mountain trail, which was taken last month, was sent to the Rocky Mountain Outlook by a hiker amid concerns that park rules must be applied equally, particularly for a person in a position of authority, and following a high-profile off-leash court case.

Sources say the superintendent, who had his back to the camera but was passed by hikers on the trail, has been seen many times and by several people with his dog off-leash, including on one occasion when the dog was seen chasing a squirrel on Tunnel Mountain and needed to be called back to Rasheed’s side.

Rasheed, who has been working in an acting position as Parks Canada’s Alberta executive director, did not address the matter himself; however, Parks Canada’s media relations team sent an email statement saying they are aware of an image showing him with an off-leash dog.

“Visitors and residents rightly expect that these rules apply equally to everyone, and Parks Canada fully agrees,” says the email statement.

“With a commitment to upholding this same standard, Parks Canada has completed an investigation, and the matter is now considered closed.”

As a result, it remained unclear whether Rasheed is facing charges under the Canada National Parks Act in connection with the violation. A breach of this park regulation, though, is not a criminal matter.

The Outlook’s follow-up questions about the scope of the investigation – including whether it was conducted by Parks Canada’s national park law enforcement branch – were not answered by the newspaper’s print deadline.

However, in a later email, Parks Canada said the matter was dealt with via an internal review.

“While this matter was not reported to Parks Canada, based on the information provided by the Rocky Mountain Outlook, the Agency conducted an internal review, including consultation with the Law Enforcement Branch,” the statement said.

“While specific details will not be shared publicly, Parks Canada is satisfied that the matter was appropriately addressed.”

The media department said Parks Canada remains committed to ensuring that national park regulations apply equally to everyone.

“Parks Canada seeks to promote compliance with park regulations through a range of measures, including education, awareness, and enforcement where appropriate,” the email said.

“Responses to reported incidents are determined based on the facts and information available in each case.”

This incident comes on the heels of a high-profile court case involving a dog off-leash near Taylor Lake in Banff National Park.

A Washington State couple had two dogs off-leash on Taylor Lake trail this summer at the same time a well-known female grizzly bear came meandering down the trail. They filmed the encounter, which went viral on social media.

In the video, bear 142 showed no signs of aggression toward the hikers or dog but continued ambling along the trail toward them and the barking off-leash dog.

As a result, charges were laid and Brook Koski was slapped with a $1,500 fine in the Alberta Court of Justice in Canmore. It is not a criminal charge and does not carry a criminal record.

Tunnel Mountain, where the photo of Rasheed was taken, is a popular spot for wildlife, from bears and wolves to coyotes and elk.

On Aug. 28, Parks Canada issued a special warning that the elk rutting season had begun and would run until mid-October.

The warning clearly stated: “Keep your dog on a leash at all times.”

Information on the number of off-leash dog charges and warnings over the past five years in Banff, Yoho and Kootenay national parks was not available from Parks Canada by deadline.

Parks Canada’s statement on the Rasheed matter said compliance with national park regulations is fundamental to protecting wildlife, pets, visitors, and the ecological integrity of the places entrusted to the agency’s care.

“While individual lapses in judgment can occur, they do not change Parks Canada’s commitment to protecting places such as Banff National Park for future generations, nor our ongoing efforts to promote responsible visitor use through education, awareness, and compliance initiatives,” it said.

Parks Canada and the Town of Banff regularly put out messaging on the importance of keeping dogs on-leash.

The federal agency’s website says this is legally required not just to protect wildlife, but to also protect dog owners, dogs and other members of the public.

“Wildlife are unpredictable; an off-leash dog can trigger aggressive behaviour from predators like bears, wolves or coyotes,” states the website.

“Predators see free-running, off-leash dogs as competition or prey, and may either attack the dog, or follow the dog back to its owners or other people.”

“After repeat encounters with off-leash dogs, wildlife can lose their natural wariness of humans and become a public safety risk.”

A recently released study also concluded that unleashed dogs dramatically increase the risk of dangerous encounters with bears, with incidents involving off-leash pets outnumbering those involving leashed dogs by nearly six to one.

In a peer-reviewed study titled The Canine Conundrum: Is a dog a help or hindrance in bear country?, researchers dug into 326 documented conflicts involving domestic dogs and bears across North America between 1901 and 2023.

* This story was updated at 9:38 a.m. Oct. 8.