National Parks Not Allowing Dogs

National Parks in the US do not allow dogs to be allowed in their parks except for Sleeping Bear Dunes. There are 59 protected National Parks and only one out of those 59 allows dogs to be allowed on the premises. The rule of banning dogs should be kept in National Parks. When people go hiking on trails a majority of those people will allow their dogs to be off leash and most dogs will run straight to the woods where they will trample the wildlife searching for new smells. Not only are the dogs to blame for their nature but so are humans. When dogs are outside they tend to do their business outside as well because that is how they are trained. Humans may forget to bring a baggie or run out of baggies and this poop would be all over the trails. Although this seems to be a odd reason because several of the National Parks allow horses to be on their trails and horses tend to poop a lot more often not to mention it being harder to clean up. Another reason National Parks tend to be so restrictive on allowing dogs to be allowed on trails is because dogs are the natural predator to many of the animals in National Parks such as prairie dogs and other small protected animals. Pets that are brought into National Parks also have a natural instinct to mark their territory and by doing this, they could potentially be spreading diseases. Many of the trails are small and narrow where pets such as dogs could hurt fragile wildlife by running off the trail. Not only is this for the protection of the park but also for the pet owners themselves. Pets may attract predators such as mountain lions and this could cause injure to the owner as well as the pet. Bison, a common animal in the National Parks tend to not get along well with dogs so at Theodore Roosevelt park there are signs saying "bison and dogs don't mix". This law banning dogs in most National Parks should be kept in place as a protective law. Even if pets do not show that much of a threat to wildlife in National Parks, the Parks are made to preserve wildlife and by keeping the rule of banning pets they are helping preserve the wildlife.

Pet Lovers Unite!

 

Having a pet is a source of pride for many people including myself. I have a dog and used to own a sand boa and a leopard gecko. When I come home from a stressful day at school or am going through a tough time I find that it is really helpful to pet my dog stress. It seems his happy attitude always brightens my day. People that do not have dogs or other pets should considering getting one for a variety of reasons. Many people deal with stress in their every day life and nearly 77% of people in the US live with stress related symptoms that effect their daily life. But having a dog or other pet can help reduce the stress that people have. According to WebMD, people with depression tend to feel happier and better when they have a pet to take care of. Pets are not just a burden but can help people overcome stress because most pets offer unconditional love, help people get into a routine which means consistency in their life, companionship, the touch of pet has also shown to reduce heart rate, and activity by helping people get off their butt and get some activity to not only keep their pet in shape but themselves. Many people worry about dogs and cats being to hairy or believe that they cannot get a pet because they are allergic to everyday household pets. The truth is that there are dogs that are hypo-allergenic such as the Bichon Frisé, Yorkshire Terrier, Poodle, Italian Greyhound, and Samoyed are just a few of the many choices a dog owner can make towards getting a hypo-allergenic dog. For me, dogs are the best house pet. From experience I can say that they will come running up to you every time you enter the house and are always happy to see you, especially when you give them their dinner. There is a pet for every person, just want to feed your pet once a month? try getting a snake. Do you want a pet that will come with you on a morning run? a dog might be the right choice for you. Want a pet that will last for maybe 18 years and always be soft and cuddly? try a chinchilla. Pets are exciting animals that everyone should enjoy, not only because they are so cute but because they can help you with the relieving the stress you may posses.