Professional dog walkers in San Francisco may soon need a permit to strap on a dog collar and lead because of increased maintenance requirements in the city's parks.
Supervisor Scott Wiener suggested the introduction of permits following an announcement by federal authorities, which revealed plans to significantly expand restrictions on dogs on Golden Gate National Recreation Area property, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.
City officials believe this could lead to a dramatic increase in the number of dogs in the city's other parks.
Mr Wiener told the news provider: "You're going to see increased tension, increased maintenance requirements and increased needs for enforcement."
The supervisor's suggestion has gained support from dog advocates, who believe a restriction on the number of dogs in the recreation area will lead to safety problems with so many people trying to walk their dogs in small spaces.
San Francisco has a range of parks within its city boarders, including those run privately, by the state and by the city.
