Recently while hiking at Lynn Headwaters in North Vancouver Avy and I came across a rather strict park ranger. If you are familiar with the Lynn Park area you know that there is a parking lot at the end of Lynn Valley Road at the entrance to the park. At the entrance to the park there is a 0.4 km trail (the start of the Lynn Loop Trail) which is designated on-leash.
The section of trail that is on-leash runs by the park trail map, storage garage, bathrooms and extends over the bridge. At the trailhead next to the Hiker Registration the Lower Lynn Loop Trail becomes leash optional and you can let your dog go and run free.
While I was waiting for my friends to arrive Avy and I were wandering around in the on-leash section, checking out the map and people watching. The Park Ranger drove by me in his ATV and gave Avy and I a look, but as she was on-leash he really couldn’t take issue with us.
Just behind us though, were two dog owners who were walking through the area with their dogs off-leash. Both were wearing packs (the owners not the dogs) and they had obviously just come off the Lynn Loop Trail. I heard one of them say “uh oh” as he leashed his dog and turned around to see the Ranger had stopped his ATV and was getting out.
As the Ranger approached the owners one of them said “we know, the dogs should have been on-leash – sorry, we’ll make sure they stay on in this area”. The Ranger approached them and engaged in a conversation that lasted a few minutes. At one point one of the dog owners started to walk away when the Ranger stopped him and said “excuse me, I’m trying to have a conversation with both of you”.
The dog owner, looking clearly annoyed, said “I don’t see the point in continuing”. The Ranger went on to explain again that bylaws in the area require your dog be leashed through that section. I walked away at this point but noticed the conversation continued for a least a minute or two after I left.