Promoting Companion Animal Leash Compliance on an Urban Park Trail System

Visitors to many local, state, and national parks that include important natural and cultural resources are increasingly being visited by visitors with their companion animals, particularly domestic dogs (Canus familiaris Linnaeus). Visitors and their companion dogs are legitimate and welcome visito...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Natural areas journal 2012-04, Vol.32 (2), p.215-217
Main Author: Tardona, Daniel R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Compliance certificates
Cultural preservation
cultural resource
dog companion
Dogs
leash compliance
management
Municipal parks
National parks
natural resource
Natural resource management
Nature trails
Pets
positive approach
Steward's Circle
urban parks
Wildlife habitats
Wildlife management
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Summary:Visitors to many local, state, and national parks that include important natural and cultural resources are increasingly being visited by visitors with their companion animals, particularly domestic dogs (Canus familiaris Linnaeus). Visitors and their companion dogs are legitimate and welcome visitors to parks. Like all visitors and all uses of such sites, park managers are charged with minimizing impacts to park resources while also providing opportunities for visitors to enjoy and gain an appreciation for those resources. This paper describes a positive management technique for promoting leashing of companion animal dogs by visitors to a unit of the National Park Service located in the large urban setting of Jacksonville, Florida. Providing a positive and welcoming atmosphere for visitors with companion dogs can facilitate enjoyment and promote diligent care for park resources by this growing group of park visitors while minimizing potential impacts to resources as well as ensuring safety to all visitors, including their animal companions. This positive approach can additionally assist park efforts to create a sense of community among all its visitors.
ISSN:0885-8608
2162-4399
DOI:10.3375/043.032.0210