A woman received a $1,500 fine after admitting guilt in Canmore Court of Justice for capturing a video showing her dog off-leash near a grizzly bear. Brook Koski was charged for allowing her dog off-leash in Banff National Park. The video, about 90 seconds long, went viral on TikTok, depicting Koski’s husband, Kraig, standing near Grizzly Bear 142 with bear spray while instructing the bear to back off. The bear, known as Grizzly Bear 142 and the daughter of The Boss (Bear 122), displayed no signs of aggression as it walked past. In court, Koski tearfully apologized for her error in judgment and expressed a lesson learned from the incident.
Koski’s lawyer, Isaak Hurst, mentioned that Koski was distressed during the encounter, emphasizing her respect for Canadian nature and wildlife. He defended their actions, highlighting that the off-leash dog did not provoke the grizzly, and Koski’s husband handled the situation calmly, demonstrating proper behavior when faced with a grizzly bear.
The Crown attorney, Caroline Lirette, described the incident as frightening and stressed the importance of keeping dogs on-leash to prevent negative encounters with bears. She emphasized the need for visitors to adhere to park rules, emphasizing the significance of coexisting with wildlife. Lirette mentioned that three individuals on the trail reported the off-leash dog on July 19, leading to the discovery of the TikTok video and the couple’s Strava accounts.
Justice Indra Maharaj acknowledged Koski’s remorse but cautioned that animals can react unpredictably to human interactions. Maharaj highlighted the potential danger posed by the presence of cubs and stressed the importance of following leash laws to ensure both human and animal safety while enjoying the outdoors.
Parks Canada requires dogs to be leashed at all times within national parks. Giuliana Eljuri, a communications officer for the Banff field unit, advised individuals to consider leaving their dogs at home when engaging in outdoor activities and to check for trail restrictions before visiting national parks. She emphasized that everyone’s actions matter and reminded visitors that it is illegal to disturb wildlife by allowing off-leash dogs to chase them.