Keep dogs out of our greenbelt

In our county van we cruised the Westridge trail on the ridgeline between Laguna and Wood Canyons. Also on the trail were mountain bicyclists, joggers, hikers, walkers, people pushing babies in strollers, and people walking dogs.

Amazingly, the dogs were all on leashes, although some were off trail.

The ridgetop trail between Alta Laguna Park and Aliso Viejo is a special-use area within the wilderness park; dogs on leashes are a grandfathered use, by action of a past Laguna City Council.

I might understand the political pressure for doing this, but it’s a bad idea. Wilderness parks are designated plant and wildlife sanctuaries, and wilderness and pets don’t mix.

Dogs resemble coyotes and foxes; they’re all predators. Even on a leash they might flush out ground-dwelling birds, frighten deer or squirrels, and force owls or hawks off their nests. Beyond that, dogs spray their scent around, leaving signposts for other animals.

A wildlife corridor of statewide importance crosses Westridge trail. This corridor connects Laguna Canyon to Wood Canyon, and each of those canyons connects to other open space, like links in a chain. In order to be useful, all the links must function.

Deer use this corridor a lot, especially in the fall, when the entire local deer population gets together to mix up the genes in the next generation by mating. This is very important to keep the deer healthy. It’s too small a group and they suffer from genetic defects caused by inbreeding.

Biologists surveying the wildlife crossing made a discovery. Over the years, dog-walking from the Alta Laguna end is forcing the corridor to move steadily north, toward the Aliso Viejo end of the ridge. Apparently, the deer avoid crossing an area full of dog scent.

But now, people from Aliso Viejo are walking their dogs in the opposite direction, toward Laguna. We are in danger of creating an invisible scent barrier to a major deer crossing over the ridge.

Dog scent also affects other wildlife.

Coyotes, foxes, bobcats, and other wildlife mark the boundaries of their hunting territories with their own scent. Every time an animal passes one of its own signposts, it renews the scent. This notifies other animals that the area is occupied. It’s a warning that says, “keep on moving.”

An animal that has marked its territory can spend its time and energy hunting rather than fighting off interlopers. But a pet dog will instinctively re-mark the same spots to “claim” the area as its own. This causes the resident wildlife undue stress and diverts their energies to investigating the new scent and re-marking the territory instead of finding food.

There are also safety reasons to keep dogs out of the wilderness, from foxtails to ticks and snakes. If you want an earful, just ask your veterinarian.

Orange County is developing a Resource Management Plan for Aliso and Wood Canyons that will determine the future of the park. Visit www.ocparks.com to participate in the planning process.