DoggieNews: Dogs Now Banned from Wildlife Refuges

Dogs Now Banned from Wildlife Refuges

Thursday, June 30, 2005

The MetroWest Daily News, a publication serving greater Boston, MA, reports that the Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex has barred dogs from entering three of the eight refuges it manages. These refuges are:

The Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge
Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Assabet River has always banned dogs from the outset. The other two just started banning dogs. The decision to ban dogs was the result of a new conservation plan adopted for Great Meadows and Oxbow. Out of curiosity, I found the final copy of the conservation plan here. (It's a long download!)

Reading through it, I found that the subject of dog bans at these refuges was a very emotional subject, with a lot of arguments against it. The primary justification for the ban was that wildlife was being threatened or disrupted by dogs whose owners ignored the leash requirement. Those who were in favor of the ban felt that dogs were frightening the smaller wildlife and causing them to abandon their nests. Moreover, dog poop was cited as a big concern.

However, those who were opposed to the ban could not rationalize these complaints considering that hunters were still allowed to hunt. As one respondent wrote:

"It makes absolutely no sense to me that hunting will be allowed in the refuge, but dogs on leashes and bike riding will not be allowed. How in the world are dogs on leashes and people on bicycles considered dangerous to wildlife, yet people with guns are okay?"

A few places throughout the conservation plan, it noted that dog walkers created conflicts with bird watchers. I tend to think that this may be a primary reason for the ban. Considering that unleashed dogs will certainly cause birds to fly away, it stands to reason that bird watchers, who are frequent users of wildlife refuges, would have the most to say. On top of that, while gun shots will scare away birds, hunters are go after specific game, and not stuff like "Yellow Bellied Sap Suckers".

Also, there are some people who simply don't like dogs, and will conveniently cite off-leashed dogs as their first excuse. It's kinda like those moms who get out and protest a planned dog-park in their neighborhood. They don't like dogs, and will look for a reason to remove them.

In fact, that's really what ruined this for all dog owners, the fact that some of them allowed their dogs to go off-leash. As I've stated before on this website, I don't like creating new rules just because the old rules were not enforced. If the leash rule was not being respected, there should have been an officer patrolling the refuge, and confiscating any dog running loose, even if the owner was standing right there. That would have quickly righted the problem.

2 Comments:

During the winter months I frequently snowshoe run with our dog at the Oxbow Refuge. She is on a 25' retractable leash which allows her to run ahead of me, but with the flexibility of reeling her in when we encounter others (which is very rare considering the hours we are usually out on the trails). We rarely encounter other people/dogs out as early as we run, but I do remember a complement given to us when we ran by a gentleman with his puppy.
Nevertheless, I am very disappointed to read about the dog ban on the Oxbow for a number of reasons. One is that it implies any dog owner who has taken their dog to the refuge is irresponsible. I admit, I was quite annoyed to come across a couple photographing their spaniels in the middle of one of the trails this past year. While I was able to keep our dog running, their dogs caused us to stop, and I later dodged their messes in the snow. However, these and the previously mentioned puppy were the only human-owned canines we ever encountered in the nine years of running on the Oxbow.
Another reason for my disappointment is a security issue. I run on the trails to avoid cars, and quite frankly, snowshoes don't work that great on salted, plowed roads. The Oxbow is within running distance of our home, so I avoid starting up the car to get to my running destination. However, with respect to the security issue, the recent assault which occured at the Oxbow last year, has made me more appreciative than ever of our dog as a security companion. I have not noticed added security at the refuge, despite this incident.
While I have fond memories of running with our dog among the peaceful, snow-blanketed nature trails at the Oxbow, I ask Ms. Herland if she has ever gotten up at 5 AM almost every day of her life to go outside and enjoy miles and miles of automobile-free nature trails by herself (try it without looking over your shoulder). Something tells me the decision-makers here have not considered the responsible individuals who enjoy nature regularly, and have chosen to do so in the company of their dog(s), possibly for the same reasons I have cited. Consequently, I agree that this must have indeed been a decision to attempt to protect the rights of bird-watchers, which we have never encountered on our thousands of miles logged at the snowy months of the Oxbow - Not to mention that we have never even encountered a bird during the winter! At any rate, this is not a matter of "...making minor changes in (my) habits," by any means, and the deicision already made seems rather extreme.
Another comment that is hard to resist- I alluded to earlier of our rare encounters with other dogs. I have, however, lost track of all the deer and coyote sitings and the accompanying waste on the trails. Surely the coyotes are smart enough to know there's ample game at the refuge, and they are not picky about their meals (rare vs. abundant species).
One final comment: Hats off to the Sudbury Valley Trustees who have chosen to issue guidelines for dog owners visiting their refuge. Sounds like a friendly place to appreciate nature. Too bad I can't drive there, run with our dog, and drive back before the kids go off to school and my work day starts!

By Anonymous, at 3:42 PM, July 09, 2005
On or about Weds. Sept 19, 2007 between 10:30 pm and midnight, in the Clairfield community of Campbell County TN, about 15 miles from Lafolette, in a gruesome scene, someone slaughtered a dog which had just been tied out while the family left the house for about an hour and a half. It is estimated the dog was shot 9 or 10 times then untied and dragged about 150 yards and thrown over an embankment. A neighbor is suspect. A local Veternarian recommended the dog's owners take the remains to the Univ. of TN for an autopsy and removal of the bullets. They are awaiting the report. A neighbor is suspect. Articles detailing the incident were in the Jellico and Lafolette newspapers. The family is seeking assistance from some animal activists to help bring justice, but don't know who to turn to in this remote area of Tennessee. I don't seem to be able to come up with much on the internet for that area. Can someone help with names or agencies?

Thanks,
Cathi

By Cathi Louviere, at 1:11 PM, October 03, 2007

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Dogs Now Banned from Wildlife Refuges

2 Comments:

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