Off-leash dog walking in Aylmer has become a hot topic in recent years. Many of the dog owners in the region want to enjoy the province’s expansive parks, but the number of off-leash dogs has become an issue for many in the community.
Aylmer is home to two off-leash dog parks: Allen Dog Park and Aylmer-Off Leash Dog Park, the latter of the two being the more popular park by far. Nestled in Boucher Forest, for years, the lack of fencing allowed dog owners to wander farther into the forest with their pets off-leash. Since the fences were installed, Boucher Forest has also undergone more development, and as a result, more people are visiting the park. With more visitors, the park has sparked debate over unleashed dogs.
One owner of an unleashed dog, Taelor Hendrick, had this to say, “It’s definitely a topic of conversation for the paths in Forêt Boucher. The issue is owners who lack control of their dogs. Not everyone likes dogs, and not every dog is friendly. The paths already require a leash, so if people can’t, at the bare minimum, recall their dogs off-leash, they shouldn’t be there.” This seems to be a popular opinion among dog owners who allow their pets off-leash in spaces that aren’t designated: if you can control your pet and ensure they aren’t causing anyone any harm, they should be allowed off-leash.
Another community member, who does not own a dog but uses the trails for jogging, shared, “For me, it’s a matter of safety. It’s very frustrating when I’m trying to use the trails, and someone’s dog comes running over to me and jumps on me. I wish people would just stick to the dog parks.” Many community members share this sentiment in community forums, but the underlying problem appears to be the lack of communal spaces where dogs are welcome off-leash.
A golden retriever’s owner shared, “I personally stick to the off-leash park, but the place is an absolute nightmare in the winter. It’s very slippery and uneven terrain. A lot of people are bringing aggressive dogs, too, dogs that need more socialization in less hectic places. In the winter, they just remove the gates from the fences, making the gates useless. None of it makes any sense.”
The issue of off-leash dog walking remains highly debated in the community, but the underlying issue appears to be the lack of variety in the off-leash spaces being offered to pet owners. They can either bring their dogs to a very large park with poor maintenance that has no gates during the winter months or the very small park off Allen Road that offers little space for a high-energy dog to exercise.
As of now, dog owners hoping to exercise their pets off-leash can do so in two parks: the Allen Road Dog Park and the Aylmer Off-Leash Dog Park. Elsewhere, owners are asked to keep their pets on leash in accordance with local regulations.