bark ranger – JNPA Blog

(Reader alert – if you’re allergic to puns, don’t read on. We’ve made generous and shameless use of many howl-arious puns in this blog post!)

Dog-gone-it – sometimes our canine friends have a ruff life. Especially when their human owners go on a fun vacation, and Fido gets left behind. Howl can we do that to them?

Well, the National Park Service believes that dogs deserve a round of a-paws. That’s why dozens of parks offer our four-legged friends special programs, tasty treats, and fun adventures when they visit with their human owners. It’s all part of the NPS B.A.R.K. Ranger program, a project of the agency’s Healthy People Healthy Parks Initiative.

What does B.A.R.K. stand for? Glad you asked, since there are a few simple rules (none of them too far-fetched) that pet owners should follow when they visit a park:

Bag your pet’s waste
Always leash your pet
Respect wildlife
Know where you can go

B.A.R.K. Ranger programs vary from park to park and are tailored to each site’s unique setting. Some parks offer a walk with a ranger program. Some have a pledge that owners take with their pets. Most sites adopt an honor system that assumes owners will follow the B.A.R.K. principles on their visit. (Well, anything is paw-sible…)

In return for abiding by the B.A.R.K. rules, pets can earn a variety of rewards. At Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, dogs who take the pledge earn a special bandana (looks very fetching) and a signed certificate.

Dogs who attend one of the many annual B.A.R.K. Ranger events at Gateway Arch National Park can create special artwork or enjoy a cup of Puppuccino during their visit. Check out the upcoming B.A.R.K. events at the Arch in July, September, and October. Your pooch will be hounding you to attend!

If you and your dog visit a park that doesn’t offer special rewards, you can still fetch a special B.A.R.K. Ranger collar tag. Try the park’s gift shop, or purchase one at The Arch Store or online . Your pup will go mutts about the new jewelry!

But what about cats, you ask? Are they feline left out with all this attention on dogs, fur crying out loud? What a cat-astrophe! (Too much?)

Never fear, some national parks allow cats as long as they are leashed or restrained. One dedicated cat owner recently dressed his feline friend for an outing at Gateway Arch National Park. Hiss-terical!

And another NPS site even inaugurated a M.E.O.W. Ranger program, complete with a special collar tag for participating kitties.

No matter which furry friend you want to bring to a national park site, it’s always smart to check before you visit to learn about any restrictions and rules that might apply. Here’s wishing you and your companions a pawsitive park experience!

Love the Gateway Arch? Then join in an upcoming effort to clean up its “front yard.” On Saturday September 24, join in a fun trash pick-up event to tidy up the St. Louis riverfront. And also enjoy special programs on the Arch grounds.

September 24^th is National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort. National parks around the country will host outdoor events for hundreds of thousands of volunteers who will help restore, preserve, and clean up their beloved public lands. In St. Louis, Gateway Arch National Park, Gateway Arch Park Foundation, Beyond Plastics, and Living Lands & Waters are organizing a community trash pick-up event to help tidy up the downtown riverfront. It’s part of a nationwide effort to connect people with the outdoor recreation spaces in their area.

Riverfront cleanups will occur from 9:00-11:00 and from 11:00-1:00. All volunteers will receive materials they’ll need during the cleanup and will be entered to win a drawing for prizes. Sign up here to volunteer.

Don’t miss out on other fun happenings in the park that day. How about a free yoga class underneath the Arch at 9:30 a.m.? Gateway Arch Park Foundation sponsors this Just Breathe Yoga session offered by The Collective STL. Go here to register.

In the afternoon, you and your favorite pooch can join in a dog walk led by four-legged B.A.R.K. Superintendents (dog ambassadors) as part of the day’s B.A.R.K. Ranger activities. Learn how your pup can become an official NPS B.A.R.K. Ranger by visiting the table from 2-5 p.m. on the Arch grounds.

Or if butterflies are more your thing, attend the MonArch Migration event to learn about butterfly flight patterns and native plants. This annual National Park Service program celebrates the Monarch butterfly’s spectacular north-south migrations, and features information on which native plants can help these winged friends. The event takes place from 1-4 p.m. in the Explorer’s Garden on the north end of the Arch grounds.

Gateway Arch is proud to host these fun events, says Pam Sanfilippo, the park’s Program Manager for Museum Services and Interpretation. “The Arch grounds are a place for everyone to enjoy – whether it’s to practice yoga, see butterflies migrating, or play fetch with your four-legged best friend. Join us on National Public Lands Day to experience firsthand the incredible spaces here at the park.”

Tag: bark ranger

Have a “Pawsitive” Experience in Your National Parks

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