'Heavy' Trail Use In Wayland Leads To Aggressive Dog Incidents

WAYLAND, MA — Restrictions around the coronavirus pandemic have forced many people to seek entertainment outdoors, which means local trails are a bit more crowded this spring.

And at least in the Wayland area, that crowding has led to some incidents involving aggressive dogs. So many that the town on Sunday issued an order that all dogs must be on a 6-foot maximum leash in public.

The trouble dates back to late March when the Sudbury Valley Trustees approached the town about dog incidents along SVT trails. The incidents have continued over the last few weeks, and some have happened at the town beach and conservation properties.

"The dog control officer confirmed an unusual number of aggressive dog behavior during COVID-19, resulting in a high number of dogs currently being quarantined," the town said in a statement on Sunday. "The dog control officer indicated that Wayland’s problem was worse than surrounding communities, many of which had put in place temporary leash orders and closed parking lots to the Rail Trail and other public spaces and trails."

On top of the pandemic, some local towns and land owners have closed outdoor facilities, which might be driving more people to Wayland. The Audubon Society and the Trustees of Reservations have closed their lands during the pandemic. That means places like Rocky Narrows and the Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary are off-limits. Framingham and Milford have closed some parks facilities too.

On the other side, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation has opened Ashland and Hopkinton state parks early to accommodate people heading outdoors during coronavirus.