[Wworm]

Worm here. Very bummed to hear that the GGNRA (Golden Gate National Recreation Area), ie. federal government agency, has made a unilateral decision to greatly restrict the areas where dogs are allowed in their GGNRA Dog Management Plan. It is anti-dog! (ie. anti-me and you!)

As some of you know i recently went to Fort Funston in San Francisco with my basset friends. Here's a pic. it was just beautiful! I was amazed that we had this place for dogs to walk and meet and enjoy the beach. I would say we met/passed by 50-75 dogs that day. I ran up and down the shoreline with my doggie friends for 2 hours..

Sadly, the plan is to cut the dog-playing area at Fort Funston, along w/21 other areas in and around San Francisco... boo hoo. These are the few places dogs are allowed (they are not generally allowed on beaches or nat'l park/preserve areas). SF is not happy, and neither are we. Even the SF Board of Supervisors are all against it (the supervisors are like mini-mayors for each section of SF...).

Anyways, i am asking my basset buddies for help to save Fort Funston. If you only have a few minutes, can you go to this site & sign the petition?
Fort Funston Dog

If you have more than a few minutes, like 5 minutes, can you write a short letter and send it to the person here:
National Park Service - PEPC - Dog Management Draft Plan/DEIS
(send to the Frank Dean person)

The letter can be very short and just say that you support dogs and protected areas for them to play in, and that you OPPOSE the GGNRA Dog Management Plan. You probably do not need to include much identifying or personal info in the letter. (Can also submit online at that site, but it asks you for more personal info...)

anyways, it would make a big difference to me and my Basset Hound buddies here in the San Francisco Bay Area... thanks in advance...!

It's a big thing here, apparently, with a lot of doggie lovers and their peeps working hard to oppose the plan. So they have extended the deadline to NEXT SUNDAY, MAY 29th, to have the public leave their comments for consideration. If you mail something, please mail ASAP! We are going to send ours in w/the mail on Monday.

More info in case you are interested:
Position of SF SPCA against the restrictions of the proposal:
Position Statement: Proposed GGNRA Dog Management Plan | SF SPCA

This article shows that SF Supervisors are also against the proposal:
San Francisco supervisors howl against GGNRA off-leash proposal | Joshua Sabatini | Under the Dome | San Francisco Examiner

There are also videos of doggies & people coming together for protests..! (we haven't been to any yet, as we just found out about this issue 2 weeks ago..)

Thanks a million if you can help!!!
--Worm

 

[Wworm]

Hello Doggie Friends again,

I do believe this issue is relevant nationally to all of us dog owners, esp those that take our dogs to federal areas that allow dogs (such as camping, beaches, etc.). What happened here is that out of the blue one day, a federal agency decided it was ok to limit/reduce 21 areas that dogs were previously allowed. Without consulting any of the people and dogs that use these areas frequently. That is ridiculous. If it can happen in San Francisco, which is very dog-friendly, it can happen anywhere.

I believe it is important to send a strong message to these agencies, so that they do not believe it is ok to just take away protected dog areas. And to get dog supporting voices HEARD! There are already too few areas that dogs can be. (ie. most beaches, national parks, many public places, etc.)

For anyone who is interested in helping me OPPOSE the GGNRA (Golden Gate National Recreation Area) Dog Management Plan to reduce 21 dog-playing areas in the San Francisco Bay Area, INCLUDING my beloved Fort Funston, here is an easy way to help:

Just cut & paste this form letter below. You can then sign your name and snail mail to the address on the letter. Apparently, this is one of the most effective ways to get your voice heard (snail mail). Should take less than 5 minutes.

--Thanks y'all & anyone who can help.
--Worm

------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: Frank Dean
General Superintendent
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Building 201, Fort Mason,
San Francisco, CA 94123-0022


I am writing because I support protected dog areas, and I am OPPOSED to the GGNRA Dog Management Plan to reduce protected dog-playing areas in 21 places in the San Francisco Bay Area.
I do not think this plan should be implemented.

Sincerely,

 

[Abigail's mom]

I sent your letter and signed the petition. I'm a Northern California girl born and raised, it will always have my heart, so whatever I can do to keep it on the right path I try to do. Thanks for the alert.

 

[CatherineM]

Eventhough I'm an American citizen and still vote in every election back home in St. Pete, politicians really ignore letters or petitions with Canadian return addresses. I will send anyway.

 

[Esther]

Eventhough I'm an American citizen and still vote in every election back home in St. Pete, politicians really ignore letters or petitions with Canadian return addresses. I will send anyway.

use the st pete address for return address.

that said you could have stopped at, "...politicians really ignore letters or petitions..."

 

[Annie714]

LOL Esther...we agree with your assessment. We have been on the politician's cases for about 3 years, regarding a separate issue, and have yet to receive any resemblance of a response.
That being said...Goonies never say die!!!!!

So Annie and I will trot out to the mailbox with our letter right now

PS...we signed the petition twice...once for Annie and once for me

 

[MJJean]

FWIW, I signed the petition. Good luck!

 

[Wworm]

Taking some action before next Sunday 5/29!!

Hello Basset Friends--

A Big THANK YOU to everyone who has helped in getting our doggie voice heard so far!!! humans sometimes have a hard time understanding us, so better if we put it in writing

We called up all our politicians last week, and some said they are tallying all the calls & letters that come in. It is a good sign, we think, that most of the San Francisco supervisors are against the plan, like we are.

Wanted to send a reminder to TAKE ACTION this week, if this issue is as near & dear to your heart as it is ours. We want to protect our dog-playing areas. The issue at stake is that there is a plan to reduce 21 dog-playing areas in San Francisco Bay Area, that have been there since the 1970's.

We believe it is important to send a strong message to these agencies, so that they do not believe it is ok to just take away protected dog areas. And to get dog supporting voices HEARD! There are already too few areas that dogs can be. (ie. most beaches, national parks, many public places, etc. do not allow dogs)

Here are 2 easy ways to help:
1. Sign the petition here: Fort Funston Dog

2. Just cut & paste this form letter below. You can then sign your name and snail mail to the address on the letter. Apparently, this is one of the most effective ways to get your voice heard (snail mail). Should take less than 5 minutes.

Thanks y'all & anyone who can help.
--Worm

------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: Frank Dean
General Superintendent
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Building 201, Fort Mason,
San Francisco, CA 94123-0022


I am writing because I support protected dog areas, and I am OPPOSED to the GGNRA Dog Management Plan to reduce protected dog-playing areas in 21 places in the San Francisco Bay Area.

I do not think this plan should be implemented.

Sincerely,