Quinte Conservation threatens to ban dogs on trails

This sign at the entrance to Quinte Conservation’s  Potter’s Creek walking trail on Old Highway 2 tells people the rules for dogs. Photo by Leila Nasr, QNet News

By Leila Nasr

BELLEVILLE – Quinte Conservation is threatening to ban dogs on the trails in its conservation areas because the public isn’t following the rules.

The conservation authority has signs posted saying that dogs must always be on leashes and owners must clean up their dogs’ waste.

“The key issues right now are people letting their dogs run free, and also people not cleaning up after their dogs,” says Terry Murphy, general manager for Quinte Conservation. “Some people are picking the waste up, putting it in blue bags and then leaving the bags in the woods and on the trails,”

Last week, the authority issued a press release warning the public that if they continue to violate the regulations, a ban will be put in place. There have been attempts in the past two years to inform the public about the trail rules not being respected through signs and press releases, says Murphy.

The rules benefit the public, dogs and the wild animals who live in the conservation areas, he said.

“We’ve had several people tell us that because their dogs are on leashes, (the owners) were able to save them from (being chased by) coyotes (that) were following them down the path,” he said.

Another sign at the Potter’s Creek trail outlining the rules. Photo by Leila Nasr, QNet News

Dog-owners whom QNet News spoke with this week said they understand why the conservation authority is protecting its areas.

“I agree that (dogs) should really always be on leash … you don’t know if another dog is going to be vicious or anything like that,” Belleville resident Stephanie Hatch said. “You want to be able to control your animals and make sure they’re OK at the same time.”

If Quinte Conservation made dog bags and garbage bins available at the trails, people would be more likely to  clean up after their pets, Hatch said.

But Murphy recommends that people leave their dog-waste bags at home and instead “when the dog wastes on the trail, we’d rather them take a stick and just flick it into the bushes. Get it off the trail. It’ll just disintegrate. That’s far better than putting it in a bag and leaving it there.”

The concern is that the plastic bags, along with other garbage, are harmful for the wild animals that live in the conservation area, Murphy said. There is a risk that the animals will try to consume the plastic bag and will choke, he explained.