The Executive Committee of the Cayuga Trails Club has approved the following Policy on Dogs on CTC Hikes:
Preamble
Well-behaved dogs can be great companions when hiking solo, or with family and friends. However, not all people enjoy having dogs on group hikes. In addition, CTC hikes traverse various types of properties: public lands like State Forests and State Parks, Finger Lake Land Trust Preserves, Cornell Natural Areas, and many private properties. These entities have differing policies regarding dogs. Regulations vary by landowner and location, and can be changed by the landowner at any time. As examples of current regulations, dogs MUST be leashed at all times on the Cayuga Trail and all sections of the Finger Lakes Trail on private property; on Finger Lakes Land Trust Preserves, some require that dogs must be on a leash and all require that the dog be “under control.” Many hikes cross properties with different regulations. Typically the trail itself does not identify the ownership of the property it crosses.
CTC has an interest in insuring the continuing presence of our trails and in enabling both dog owner hikers and those who prefer not to hike with dogs to hike with us. Therefore, the CTC board has adopted the following policies:
Policies
- For any given CTC Hike, the Hike Leader decides in advance whether dogs are allowed. The decision to allow dogs must be stated clearly in the Hike Event Description. If there is not an explicit statement that dogs are allowed, then dogs are NOT allowed on that hike.
- Dogs that chase wildlife, jump up on people, weave around hikers’ feet, bark at or fight with other dogs, should not be brought on CTC hikes.
- If dogs are brought on a CTC Hike, the owners must know and follow all leash laws and regulations for the hike location. If the owner is uncertain of the rules, keeping the dog on a <6 ft leash is required.
(Approved October 5, 2021)
The CTC encourages all hikers to observe the Finger Lakes Trail Conference
Policy on Dogs on the Trails of FLT System.