Article content The owner of a dog that jumped a cedar-rail fence and fell into an old hand-dug well near the Bruce Trail in Bognor wants more done to avoid similar incidents. “I’d hope it would be done soon, and continue to be one of the best maintained and historic trails around, then end up reading years later there’s been a death down the same well,” said Tamera Downs. The Inter Township Fire Department rescued Downs’ dog after “Nala” accidentally fell down the hand-dug well featured as part of the Wilson Homestead side trail — an offshoot of the Bruce Trail near Bognor that features the remnants of Scottish immigrant John Wilson’s family homestead including partial stone walls from an old barn foundation and farm implements.
Downs lets Nala hike off-leash on the trails, which is against the rules of the Bruce Trail network, but hardly unusual behaviour from dog owners who use the trails. Sydenham Bruce Trail Club president Frank Schoenhoeffer said the Bruce Trail Conservancy has owned the Silent Valley Nature Reserve property for about 10 years. The section of the Bruce Trail that cuts across Highway 26 at Woodford and continues to the Bognor Marsh intersects the property, which features several other side trails and the wreckage of a 1970 plane crash as well as the Wilson Homestead.
“The remains of the homestead are a fascinating piece of history and heritage that we’re trying to preserve. I don’t believe any other dog has ever fallen down the well during that time,” he said. The volunteer club’s trail director, Ron Savage, said the cedar rail fence surrounding the well was about three or four feet high when Nala leaped over it.
Since then, the club has raised the fencing to five feet. The club members say while Nala’s incident is unfortunate, the Bruce Trail and its many side trails are wilderness paths “to showcase the beauty and fragility of the Niagara Escarpment”, and hazards exist as part of that reality. “Much of the Bruce Trail follows the Escarpment ridge.
It’s a steep and high cliff. We keep the trail back from the edge, but it’s still a danger that people or unleashed dogs might explore a bit closer to the edge, and even fall over the edge,” said Schoenhoeffer. “There are reasonable expectations of behaviour, for people walking through wilderness areas, such as being aware of hazards and behaving appropriately.
We publish a ‘Bruce Trail Users Code’ on our website and in our mapbooks. Item No. 10 of that Code states: “Where dogs are permitted, keep dogs on a leash and under control at all times.
” It’s a balancing act. The trail club wants to safely introduce the public to the Niagara Escarpment, and provide recreational opportunities for avid local hikers like Downs and risks are baked into that pie. “We warn potential visitors at each trailhead that hazards do exist along the pathway, and they must assume responsibility for their safety,” Savage said.
The trail club posts several signs along the trails. They warn of potential dangers and act as waypoints or information bulletins. Schoenhoeffer said the trail club has received complaints that there are too many signs and that the signs are cluttering the natural scenery.
“It’s not reasonable to expect that we’d have signs at every possible hazardous location along the 900-kilometre length of the Bruce Trail,” he said. “Most people read our signs, and the Users’ Code, and follow the instructions. But some do not.
We have examples of generous landowners who gave permission to have the trail on their land, provided dogs would be prohibited, or at least kept leashed. But many people would ignore the posted signs,” he added, noting landowners’ have asked the club to reroute the trail off their land after repeat occurrences. Despite signs, rules and recommendations to keep dogs leashed on the Bruce Trail, anyone who has used the trail network knows Nala isn’t the only canine companion allowed to run free out in the bush.
Savage said after Nala’s fall he installed signs at the Silent Valley trailhead for hikers to leash their pets, only to have a pair of hikers with three unleashed dogs thank him for his hard work maintaining the Silent Valley section of the Bruce Trail and continue on their way right past the new sign. Downs said she carries a leash and will use it with Nala when obvious hazards exist. She thinks a sign nearer the well warning of the potential danger could help avoid another dog accidentally slipping down the hole.
“Dog owners are often not aware about other potential hazards on a wilderness trail, such as the wildlife who live in the area, which will definitely defend against domestic pets running loose in the woods,” Schoenhoeffer said. “What about poison ivy getting on a dog’s fur? The dog doesn’t care, but the owners might if they pet their dog when it comes back to them.” For Downs, the risks seemed worth the reward until Nala’s incident with the well.
“Despite some criticism regarding our choice to walk Nala off-leash, it’s important to recognize that keeping her leashed could have led to worse outcomes. Nala, like many dogs, thrives in open spaces, which is why we cherish the Bruce Trails and their beautiful landmarks,” Downs said. Luckily, Nala is safe at home recovering from the ordeal.
The fence at the well is taller, and new signs have been posted, though the club volunteers remind users of Bruce Trail they enjoy the trails at their own risks — risks that they can only mitigate, not eliminate..
