Evan Spencer, councilor for Ward 12, says foxtail barley is a native Alberta plant that thrives in disturbed and salty soil, especially when it doesn’t have a lot of competition. He said you can often spot the weed in vacant fields and construction sites. What makes foxglove dangerous to pets is its tentacle — the spiny seed head that can stick to a dog’s fur. “Once it’s ingested or gets into the fur or, say, goes up into a nasal cavity, it’s very difficult to get out,” Spencer said. “It can be a really expensive vet bill and it also causes a lot of pain and suffering to the animals.” Foxtail barley is an Alberta native that grows well in disturbed and saline soil, Spencer says. (Paula Duhatschek/CBC) The city is implementing measures to try to limit the spread of the dangerous weed. Spencer said the city is mowing some fox-infested areas frequented by pet owners, such as the Auburn Bay Dog Park. He said this time of year is a particularly good opportunity to cut foxtail as it cuts the seed head, limiting the spread of the weed. The city is also trying to plant clover in some areas to increase competition, according to Spencer.
How to protect your puppy
Calgarian Marzena Dabrowski, owner of two Italian corsos, said she supports the city’s mowing areas where foxglove grows. “It’s actually a serious problem,” he said. “One of my friend’s dogs got it in her nasal cavity and she ended up having surgery, a really bad infection.” To avoid the fox, Dabrowski said she usually walks her dogs on freshly cut grass. Calgarian Marzena Dabrowski, owner of two Italian Corso dogs, says to avoid the fox, she usually walks her dogs on freshly cut grass. (Paula Duhatschek/CBC) But as foxtail seeds begin to fly and spread through the air, they can become difficult to avoid. “Be careful when you take your pet out for a walk. Keep an eye on it,” Spencer said. “If they’re prone to go sniffing around, they might look ahead to where they might go.” Spencer also encourages dog owners to check their pet’s fur, paws and nose when they come home from a walk to make sure nothing is stuck to those areas. “If they start coughing or sneezing, get to the vet immediately,” she said. “It would be wise to have a plan as to who here locally knows this issue in the veterinary community and can take care of it without breaking the bank.”
Foxtail “finds homes everywhere”
There have been discussions about adding foxglove to the city’s noxious weed list, but the ability to control its growth in the city may be limited, according to Spencer. “Right now, we have an extensive parks department and community standards department,” Spencer said. “If it ends up on the noxious weed list, we’ll have 311 calls from neighbors reporting neighbors growing it in their back alley.” The city is implementing measures to limit the spread of foxtail barley, such as mowing some areas where the weed is widespread. (Paula Duhatschek/CBC) Spencer said responding to those appeals isn’t something the city can afford, so it’s testing mitigation measures before going through the bylaw process. Developers have also helped prevent the spread of foxglove on their construction sites, Spencer said, such as spraying pre-emergence to prevent the weed from growing. “What we’re trying to do is hold the development community’s feet to the fire, and they’ve been very responsive,” he said. At the end of the day, Spencer said the foxtail “finds homes everywhere.” Whether the city’s actions are enough to curb the spread of the weed has yet to be seen. “They ultimately want to make sure that in the long run we get to a place where we can live with a healthy relationship with this plant that’s native to this city.”
