New dog leash rules in York Regional Forest dropping number of reported incidents
In 2020, York Region began updating their approach to managing dogs in the York Regional Forest
Yorkregion.com
March 20, 2023
Simon Martin
On a nice Sunday in winter, you are likely to find Bob and Mary Buchan at a York Regional Forest tract with their golden retriever Alice. Alice usually won’t be on a leash, but the Newmarket couple aren’t breaking any of the new forest rules because they prefer to take Alice to the Davis Drive Tract in Whitchurch-Stouffville and the Bendor Graves Tract in East Gwillimbury, where dogs are allowed off-leash on the forest trails.
“We are out often every Sunday, sometimes midweek,” Mary said after wrapping up a walk at the Davis Drive Tract. Alice is just a year and three months old and her adoring fans in the forest include other dogs who sprint up for a sniff, as well as walkers who stop in their tracks and ask “Can I pet your dog? I’m a dog lover.”
Mary says she doesn’t worry when Alice is off-leash. “She doesn’t like to get too far from me. If we call her, she’ll come back.”
Just across McCowan Road from the Davis Drive Tract is the North Tract, where dogs have to be on a leash. Bob said he avoids going to that tract because of the rule.
In 2020, York Region began updating their approach to managing dogs in the York Regional Forest. As result of the review, since May 1, 2022, York Region has required dogs to be on-leash at all times in all York Regional Forest tracts, except the Davis Drive Tract and the Bendor and Graves Tract.
Preliminary results from the change have been promising. James Lane, manager of natural heritage and forestry services, public works at York Region, said the number of complaints about off-leash dogs in the forest has dipped dramatically in recent years. In 2020, the region received 26 reported complaints, followed by 19 reported complaints in 2021 and just 10 reported complaints in 2022.
Lane said that during the development of the recent York Regional Forest management plan, it was recognized that dog walking, in particular off-leash dog walking, was increasingly creating challenges for visitors as well as for the staff responsible for management and education in the forest.
The increased visitors during COVID-19 only served to accelerate the matter.
The region and local municipalities like Stouffville and East Gwillimbury are working collaboratively to engage, educate and enforce the updated leash rule.
In a 2023 report, Stouffville said the town and the region have recorded a month-over-month decrease in the number of dogs being permitted to run off-leash. The report also said there have been minimal incidents reported on the Davis Drive Tract and that residents are thankful for an off-leash option.
Prior to May 1, 2022, there was no specific rule or bylaw restricting residents from letting their dogs run off-leash. According to the report, the town received a high number of calls, including dog reports, dog attacks and dogs spooking horses, causing riders to fall.
A similar regional report in 2022 said that in recent years, there has been an increase in confrontations between off-leash dogs resulting in serious injuries and several dog fatalities.
One resident who remains thankful for the off-leash option is Jeannie Martin. She is out with her dog Bo almost every day. She takes Bo’s safety seriously. Out in the Davis Drive tract in March, Bo was wearing a pink coyote vest that is adorned with spikes on the outside. “The reason she is wearing a coyote vest is last week I saw one while out hiking,” the Holland Landing resident said. “Because she is not a punk rocker.”
Martin usually heads to the Bendor and Graves Tract in East Gwillimbury, but when it gets a little crowded, she heads to the Davis Drive tract. “Even if it is an off-leash area, I have not had an issue with my dog,” she said. Martin said it is very nice for owners to still have an off-leash option for their dogs.
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