I am very fond of dogs and have owned five of them in the course of my life. Fortunately, I or my family always owned property large enough for them to get plenty of exercise. Today, in this dog crazy country, many pets spend their day cooped up in an apartment building, awaiting a walk around the block in the morning and evening.
An increasing demand for exercise areas has led to the creation of "dog parks" in many urban areas, where owners can let their pooch romp with other canines; in addition, city and State parks have begun to set aside areas where dogs are free to roam (under owner supervision). Despite these options, most regions of the country still allow dogs in nature preserves, as long as they are kept on a leash; as one who frequently hikes through such preserves, I can testify that leash laws are widely ignored once the owner is away from the parking area. Of course, following their nose and natural instincts, the canines end up chasing wildlife, disrupting native vegetation and leaving their excrement throughout the preserve.
Contrary to popular perception, dogs are not natural residents of Earth's ecosystems. While their wild ancestors play important roles as predators, dogs were bred for a wide variety of roles and, though many breeds are used for hunting, they are not natural species; indeed, humans are more "natural" than dogs. Since leash laws are ineffective, it is best, in my opinion, to ban the presence of dogs in nature preserves and other environmentally sensitive areas.
