Most National Parks impose a ban on all dogs, leashed or not, on all trails within their boundaries. This ban poses an undue hardship on the 37% of households that own a dog and the 72 million pet dogs that could otherwise enjoy our National Parks with their "best friend". A well trained dog and a responsible owner can safely enjoy the park with very little impact to the environment or to other visitors. Horses, by contrast, have always been allowed in National Parks, weigh half a ton, have sharp trail-eroding hooves, and produce an enormous amount of waste which can seriously pollute water sources. Dogs bring considerable joy to their owners and those they encounter on the trail. Let's make our Parks like our protected Wilderness areas - open to our best friends.



