Even though I get tons of spam comments, I believe in letting people share their opinions by commenting on posts. That’s why I leave comments enabled on posts. At the bottom of each post is a comment form. You put in your name and email address (only visible to me so I can cut out the spam) and then you type your comment in the big box and hit submit. I get the comment in my email and then I approve or disapprove (only if it’s spam). Otherwise, I don’t care! Share your opinion. That’s why I leave it open. But when I get emails like this one from Tom Brooks who claims to work for the National Park Service and threatens to shoot visitors pets and animals, well it’s a bit disturbing.
“I enjoy your Yosemite blog very much. But this picture was a bit much. I am sure the dog is well behaved but it is illegally off leash and the picture only encourages people to bring Fido to Yosemite to run free chasing chipmunks, squirrels, and anything that moves, just to have a little fun. I know too many dog owners who think it is cute to let their dogs run wild for a “little while.” But I guess now you can shoot a loose dog under the new laws allowing guns in the parks. If I am sitting at a nice campground table in Yosemite and a blue jay, squirrel, dog, bear, anything threatens my meal, boom, no more nuisance! Must oil and clean my Dirty Harry 44 magnum for my next trip to Yosemite to do some “hunting.” Maybe even a new concession stand in Yosemite to rent guns to protect oneself from all the other gun toting idiots out there.
Me, I have worked years in Yosemite, been there countless other times, hiked, skied, backpacked, everything. But I don’t need loose dogs or guns in Yosemite. Would you show a picture of someone throwing a beer can out the window of a car, or feeding a beer for a good photo (common in Yellowstone), feeding squirrels or raccoons or any other illegal activity? I also currently work in a National Park. Cute dog – wonder where he is going or where he has been.”
So here’s the photo Tom is all worked up about. It’s the Photo of the Day from February 24th from Jill Goodell of her dog Munch. Munch is standing on a log with Sentinel in the background wrapped in clouds and little bit of sky and sun showing through.
I’m going to admit Tom has a point. While the dog is clearly on a leash in all Jill’s other photos there’s no leash visible in this one and the law does say that dogs must be on a leash not more than 6 feet long or otherwise physically restrained. But to say that you would shoot someone’s pet if it came into your camp is uncalled for and almost threatening. In all my years of camping in public camp grounds and in the back country where dogs are allowed, I have NEVER ONCE been bothered by another persons dog coming into my camp.
In the last 2 days I have seen people who should be representative of Yosemite and it’s culture being rude and complete asses to visitors. Tom, if you work for the National Park Service then you need to apologize for your behavior. It’s totally uncalled for. If this photo encourages people to visit Yosemite and let their dogs run loose then the behavior I have witnessed in person and via this email not only discourages visitors, it discourages me from writing about Yosemite.
Comments
18 responses to “The Last Straw”
They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I bet this one will generate at least that.
I get Tom’s complaint about a loose dog and I agree with his joke remarks about guns in parks (how did that happen?). The dog has a harness and that tells me he has been securely leased for most of the trip. She probably removed the leash to take the picture. Who wants a leash in a beautiful shot like this.
Tom stated he worked “in” the National Park. Probably for a concession service. I don’t think a park service employee would be so casual with their comments.
I agree with Scott. Based on his displayed intellect, working “in the National Park” likely means that he’s scraping plates at lodge food court.
Keep at it Tom, someday you’ll be a cashier.
I think that Tom’s comment was trying to point out a couple of absurdities. Now guns are allowed in Nat. Parks and Dogs off leash are not. Absurdist humor, especially violent & shocking humor doesn’t work too well in comments like these but let’s not get pumped up by taking him literally.
First and foremost, the “gun laws” are simply the same state and federal gun laws already governing everywhere else. Just because guns are no longer banned, it doesn’t mean Tom can pull out a gun and just start shooting. For one, he would need a concealed weapons permit. And two, it is illegal in California to shoot a domesticated animal unless there is threat to human life or property. And Tom, a bag of cheetos is not justification enough for “property”. That would be something significant like your livestock.
Also, the photographer could have very easily photoshopped out the leash, I’ve done that countless times.
So Tom, before you get your panties in a bunch, get the full story. Also, just because you work for DNC it doesn’t make you NPS. Which it’s also illegal for you to be using such wording to infer that you are a federal employee.
Sounds like Tom got up on the wrong side of his sleeping bag.
It’s people like Tom that give all of us locals a bad name.
It’s a great shot taken from a dogs eye view and I just have to believe that the leash was cloned out to make it a more dramatic photo.
Well done Jill! Nice photoshop. 😉
Tony
Tom never inferred that he worked for NPS, just that he worked IN a NP. I worked in Yosemite for a summer and have said that many times without clarifying that I worked fro DNC rather than NPS. Also, I was a naturalist/guide and find Doug’s jabs about scraping plates and being a cashier really out of line and offensive.
It also seemed pretty obvious that Tom was making a point about guns, not honestly saying he was going to take a gun and blow the dog to smithereens. Yes, his words were poorly-chosen and his comments about the guns completely deluded his comments about the dogs, but but this reaction seems like a stretch to me.
Regardless, thank you so much for this blog and the Twitter feed! On top of me working there for a summer, my great-grandfather worked in Yosemite for NPS and my grandma was born in the park back when the clinic was a hospital (1936), so I’m a bit biased in my preference for Yosemite over the other NP’s. I live in MN and have loved being able to keep up with my favorite place in the world through your updates, photos, etc.
Sorry Joey but his comments started ranting about the dog and how it was off the leash. The gun bit came after.
Just re-read my post…must proofread next time. 🙂
I ran in to Jill and Munch while shooting in Yosemite that day. You can see my posted image of them here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29186137@N00/4375716779/ and not only is Munch clearly on a leash, but he was very well behaved when I walked by.
I think Jill’s image is great.
I linked to your post in case any of our readers wanted to add to the discussion in your comments.
A very important topic.
In Australia all house pets (and guns) are totally illegal in national parks. I was shocked to come here and discover you could take pets into parks. If there was a place to go hiking that was totally dog free I would be there in a flash. Dometic pets and native wildlife don’t go together and I go to places like natioanl parks to see the native variety. And why do most dog owners think they are above the law? That their dog is always cute and well-behaved and therefore it’s okay to let it off the leash. You don’t get to pick and choose the laws you want to obey.
That said, I like Tom’s sense of humor! Some people are obviously missing the sarcasm there, which goes to show they have no sense of humor themselves!
The dog ruins the picture!
One of my favorite words applies here:
Erleichda.
BTW, from The Onion recently regarding guns in National Parks:
“Just stay calm. If you encounter a gunman in the wild, simply puff up your coat to make yourself appear bigger than him and slowly back away.”
In a more serious vein, we recently had a guest lose her chihuahua to a coyote while she was walking it. No clue if it was on a leash or not.
Think twice about bringing small dogs into Yosemite. A leash isn’t going to keep a hungry and habituated coyote from attacking your pet.
In closing a few thoughts–read opinions: that’s a charmer of a picture, if you feel the need to carry a gun in a national park you’ve got bigger problems than a gun can solve, and cashiering loses its charm when you deal with disgruntled customers for 8 hours a day, which is why I’m making beds and emptying trash cans in Curry Village.
Edie
“You damn kids get out of my park!”
/me brandishes her cane from her rocking chair in DNC housing
Wow this certainly gets you thinking. I love dogs but really don’t think they belong in the national parks for a variety of reasons, many that were mentioned here, however I certainly wouldn’t want to shoot them or even suggest that. Education is the best teacher so people can understand the reasons the riles are in place.
It’s people that shouldn’t be allowed in national parks. Except for me, of course…