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While the borough president, himself a dog owner, expressed sympathy to the cause, he also pointed out that dog parks present a number of challenges, ranging from security to noise complaints.

“It’s not easy, a park like that,” he said. “People don’t all treat their dogs the same way.”

Boynton, however, said that the planning committee that has formed is conscious of these concerns and interested in finding solutions.

“Dog parks are an iffy topic, not everyone is for it,” she acknowledged, noting that “things can go bad quickly,” if dog owners are not mindful of the rules.

While things are still very much in the planning phase, Boynton said that the committee includes a member who is a dog trainer and behaviour specialist.

“If we ever get the dog park up and going, she’s offered to do a couple of information sessions on how to socialize your dog at a dog park,” she said.

Ideally, Boynton said, what the group would like to see in the community is fenced-in off-leash park with two sections, one for small dogs and one for large. A number of possible locations have been scouted within Lennoxville, but she said that the group’s preferences lean towards a site at either D’arcy Bennett Park or Optimist Park

“We want to be as inclusive as possible,” the committee member said, highlighting a desire to have a space that can be used by people from Lennoxville and the surrounding area, as well as the many students who have dogs.

While the group waits for news on their project, Boynton said that Patterson has been regularly organizing social outings for local dog owners and posting about them on the Parc Canin Lennoxville Dog Park Facebook group in the name of helping to build a community around a shared love of their fury friends.