Hikers charged after off-leash dog encounters grizzly bear on Banff trail

Parks Canada has charged two hikers with violating leash regulations after a social media video captured their small off-leash dog running between them as a grizzly bear approached on a popular Banff trail.

The incident occurred on Taylor Lake trail, about 15 kilometres southeast of Lake Louise. A TikTok video recorded by one of the hikers and posted July 21 generated several million views, showing grizzly bear No. 142 walking toward them on the trail while the man held bear spray and their dog ran unleashed between them. Throughout the roughly 90-second video, the man yells at the bear to "back off" and "get out of here" before the grizzly moves into the woods.

Parks Canada's investigation led to charges under federal park regulations requiring pets to stay on a leash of three metres or less. If convicted, the pair face a fine of up to $25,000. "Failure to keep your pets leashed in the national parks poses risks to pets and wildlife," said James Eastham, a spokesperson for Parks Canada's Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay field unit. "Bears and other wildlife may react aggressively toward dogs they view as threats, resulting in their injury or death."

Nick de Ruyter, program director of WildSmart for the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley, said while the hikers had bear spray, "the safety of them, their pets and other people is far more important than getting that video." He praised Parks Canada for pursuing charges, noting "there was so much time in the video to grab the dog and put it on a leash."

Bear 142 is one of Banff's most famous grizzlies. The female, estimated to be about 16 years old, is the daughter of bear 122 — also known as The Boss — and has had several cubs in the park. She lost a cub earlier this year when it was hit and killed by a train near Protection Mountain campground.