With dog attacks soaring, can Toronto bite back?

Plus, inside Ontario’s battery-recycling beef, Bo Bichette’s leadership mantle and Toronto’s fall event preview [The Star] First Up [By Andrew Joe Potter] By Andrew Joe Potter Happy Labour Day weekend. [A great white shark was spotted snacking on a whale carcass]( by the Bay of Fundy earlier this week — presumably yet another bargain-minded shopper priced out of Canada’s increasingly exorbitant seafood sections. Here’s the latest. MUST READS Richard Lautens/Toronto Star Animal control [With rising tensions over off-leash dog attacks, Toronto's park rules may lack bite]( All dogs must be on a leash no longer than two metres while in most public spaces in Toronto. It’s a rule that many owners seemingly take as a gentle suggestion, despite the consequences. Katie Daubs reports the city has seen a dramatic 39 per cent uptick in reported dog bites in 2023 — a massive workload for the six bylaw officers tasked with investigating dangerous dog allegations. [Here’s more on Toronto’s pooch problem](. Susan Kao illustration/Toronto Star THINGS TO DO [A preview of 15 fun and artsy events to check out in Toronto this fall]( The cooler weather brings a bevy of fun fall activities. From insightful speakers like Toronto’s own Oscar-winner Sarah Polley to cheery museum exhibits like the Royal Ontario Museum’s “Death: Life’s Greatest Mystery,” there’s something for everyone, Janiece Campbell writes. [Add these 15 things to your Toronto fall bucket list immediately](. Tara Walton/for the Toronto Star business [Inside the erosion of Ontario’s once-vaunted battery recycling system]( With just 12 per cent of single-use batteries sold in Ontario recycled last year — down 400 per cent from 2019 — the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority faces its biggest test yet, Richard Warnica reports. Central to the drop is the beef between Call2Recycle, a non-profit hired by companies like Duracell to manage their mandated recycling quotas, and Raw Materials, an independent plant that actually handles the recycling. [Here’s how Ontario’s battery recycling system has all but fallen apart](. Dustin Satloff/Getty Images file photo baseball [How Bo Bichette assumed the Blue Jays’ leadership mantle — even when he can’t take the field]( After re-aggravating the same right knee injury that cost him 16 games earlier this season, star Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette isn’t even obligated to speak with the media right now. That the 25-year-old opted to sit for a one-on-one interview anyway says a lot, writes Rosie DiManno. As the blue birds eye an overwhelmingly tough path to the playoffs, it’s Bichette once again leading the charge. [Here’s how he’s doing it from the sidelines](. Dreamstime BACK TO SCHOOL [It’s time to get your kids’ sleep habits ready for school]( Even in the best of times, many kids aren’t waking up fully charged; one past study found that over 70 per cent of high schoolers didn’t get enough sleep, Kevin Jiang reports. After a summer of later bedtimes and sleeping in, children often struggle with transitioning back to early mornings in September, the start of the school year. [Here’s what experts recommend to improve their sleep](. PLAN THIS thierrydehove.com/Getty Images You’ve talked about it forever; is this the winter you finally plan that getaway to the Caribbean? Five veteran travel writers who specialize in the region tell Heather Greenwood Davis why this is the perfect year to visit Puerto Rico, Aruba, Martinique and other tropical destinations. [Here’s what makes these places so special](. Thanks for reading. You can reach the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_197654), and I will see you back here tomorrow. If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](