Dog trying to kill a coatimundi in Chiricahua National Monument

Once again we witnessed why dogs should not be allowed in National Parks/Monuments/Grasslands/

Preserves/Whatevers. We saw one almost kill a wild animal because the owners were blatantly and knowingly defying the rules for dogs.

 

What is it with so many dog owners? The sense of entitlement that their dog should be the exception to the rules for dogs is almost like a requirement to own a dog. Over and over we see dogs in areas of parks where they aren't allowed, dogs that are not on leashes when they are supposed to be and when owners know they are supposed to be, dogs that are allowed to bark and bark, and dogs that are not cleaned up after.

 

And, yes, there are some responsible dog owners, but they are too few. There is no possibility for reforming dog owners because they just think the rules don't apply to their dog. Their dog is so special to them that it is assumed that it is just plain old special. And because it is special rules don't apply.

 

Yesterday afternoon in the Bonita Canyon campground in the Chiricahua National Monument we were watching in wonderment out our window at a coatimundi, a shy creature of the desert related to the raccoon. In hundreds of miles of hikes and in thousands of miles of travel in thre southwest, this was the first one we had ever seen. We were so excited!

 

All of a sudden, from across the campground, a dog started running toward it--a big dog, some type of Collie mix that the owners (two women) already had to restrain when Vicky walked to the trash. I ran toward them screaming at them to ge their dog, but it was too late. Fortunately, the animal just got to a tree when the dog arrived there, jumping fiercely in the air to get the treed animal.

 

I yelled at one of the women as I was running past them to try to head off the dog: "This is why they are supposed to be on a leash!"

 

Her response, back to me angrily: "I know!" (Any more evidence needed about the entitlement of dog owners?)

 

Fortunately, one of ther camp hosts also witnessed this, and told them to keep their dog leashed. I wonder how many of the problems camp hosts deal with have to do with dogs.

 

We managed to get a couple of photos of this shy creature before it almost became dog food:

 

 

Posted with Blogsy