Over the past five years, the number of reported dog attacks has increased significantly in York Region’s largest cities: Richmond Hill, Markham and Vaughan—highlighting growing public concern around dog control and safety.
Data from York Region’s Health Protection team reveals sharp rises in reported dog-related incidents involving human exposure to saliva via bites, scratches, or contact with sensitive areas like the eyes or open wounds.
Vaughan, for example, saw reported dog attacks more than double, from 91 in 2020 to 209 in 2024. Markham experienced a similar climb, with incidents rising from 134 in 2020 to 202 in 2024, peaking at 223 in 2022. Richmond Hill’s numbers also rose from 134 in 2020 to 176 in 2024. Though yearly increases varied by city, the overall trend points upward.
Despite collecting this data, the region does not release it routinely or comment publicly on the implications. However, residents are taking notice. In Richmond Hill, local resident Ken Stewart brought the issue before city councillors, citing repeated encounters with unleashed, aggressive dogs in his neighborhood. He recounted being charged at or threatened by dogs 18 times and bitten on three occasions since 2011. Most disturbingly, he noted a lack of remorse or accountability from owners involved.
In light of these experiences and historical data showing fewer incidents—only 82 reported in 2015 and 126 in 2019—Stewart urged the city to strengthen its bylaws. His recommendations included implementing owner licensing instead of dog licensing, increasing fines, mandating annual reporting on dog-related incidents, and enhancing public education about owner responsibilities.
One positive policy change occurred in 2022, when York Region began requiring leashes for dogs in most regional forest tracts. Since then, there’s been a noted decline in negative encounters between dogs and other visitors in those areas, suggesting that targeted regulations can help mitigate the issue.