The Superintendent of Joshua Tree National Park, David Smith, was a guest on the Z107.7 Up Close Show early in April. During the show, Smith discussed many topics relating to the park, including why bringing your pets to the park can be a problem. Reporter Cassidy Taylor explains…
“In national parks, we are really stringent about that, because of the effect that that dogs can have on the wildlife that’s there.”
Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent David Smith says Fido may be your best friend, but Joshua Tree National Park may not be the place to bring them. While pets are allowed to be brought to campgrounds and picnic areas, bringing your pets on trails is not only banned, but could threaten wildlife.
“Especially like a riparian zone or like a water zone, a place like 49 Palms, you know, I go out there all the time and find people with dogs and it’s a constant education, like ‘Hey, folks, just so you know, this is this is the one place bighorn sheep come to actually get some water. And when you bring your dogs up here, it moves them out of that area and if it’s a hot time, like we’re gonna have this weekend or the summer, that that could make the difference of that animal surviving.’”
For those who want to still enjoy desert hikes with their pets, Superintendent Smith recommends hikes that are outside of the National Park and on BLM land.
“They’ve got kind of a different management than we do inside of a national park.”
To catch up on everything happening with the national park, listen to the latest episode of the Z107.7 Up Close Show by clicking the link below:
https://www.z1077fm.com/music-and-shows/podcasts/
Pets in the park? Here are the general rules:
- Pets are permitted in Joshua Tree National Park, but they may never be taken more than 100 feet from a road, picnic area, or campground.
- Pets must be leashed at all times when outside a vehicle and may never be left unattended.
- Pets are never allowed anywhere in the backcountry, including on hiking trails; the only exception is the paved trail at the Oasis of Mara in Twentynine Palms.
- Service animals, defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities, are allowed anywhere in the park.
- Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
More information can be found at https://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/pets.htm
