Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, it would seem, has a (figurative) dog in this fight. The San Francisco Representative to Congress has weighed in on the public battle currently being waged between dog owners and the National Park Service about what federal park areas will allow dogs. The NPS made headlines this week when it announced a proposed set of new rules for regulating where the pets could and could not be in Golden Gate National Recreation Area parks. The planned 60 days of public comment on the rules before they were to take effect apparently were not enough for the Congresswoman, as the National Park Service has now extended that to 90 days at her request.
The GGNRA includes Ocean Beach, Crissy Fields, and Fort Funston — all spots popular with dog walkers for their off-leash areas.
SFist reached out to the offices of the Congresswoman to determine whether or not she is a dog owner, however, the person who answered the phone merely transferred us to a press line where we were presented with the opportunity to leave a voicemail on a machine.
You now can voice your support or opposition for the rules — which would render huge swaths of beaches 100 percent off limits to dogs — until May 25, reports CBS 5. National Park Service superintendent Christine Lehnertz is reported by the channel as saying the proposal "is a very dog-friendly plan," however not all dog-owners agree. Sally Stephens, who is the chair of a SF-based dog walking group, is one of the people not pleased.
“We are losing a huge resource,” she noted.
The changes are being made to protect endangered species, such as the snowy plover, and you can find out how to leave your two cents regarding the proposed new rules on the NPS website.
Previously: Fort Funston, Ocean Beach To Partially Ban Dogs Under Proposed Rule Change