I saw yet another off leash dogs post on NL’s subreddit and this is a problem that isn’t going to be solved easily. I own dogs and hike with them, most of them time in areas where you will either not run into someone for weeks but I also frequent local dogs walk haunts like Kenmount Hill and The East White Hills.

These areas are known to have off leash dogs roaming and playing and most people are ok with this, but it’s still illegal.

The debates in these threads always get heated, nothing happens, rinse and repeat. There is middle ground to be had, but that requires government and we all know how that goes. The good news for all is that there is quite a lot of woods out there, and this is the key to making everyone happy.

So what can be done with off leash dogs? I’ve asked people in one of our Ig/TT stories and got some feedback on what they think are the solutions to this ever so pressing issue. Small fenced off dog parks are just not good enough for dog owners, especially when there are SO many people with dogs everywhere.

1. Either the government or the a private business can open up a subscription based member model which would help cover fees that come with operating and maintaining something like this.

2. Designate 1-3 large wooded areas within 30 minutes of the city where there are trails as off leash zones. So you can avoid this if you have a dog that is not built for this.

3. Perhaps outside of the city on unpopulated trail networks that are not the East Coast Trail dogs can be off leash so long as they’re under control.

Drop us a comment here or on social media and let us know what you think should be done so that all parties are happy and satisfied.