NorCal dog owners howl over proposed leash rules [View All]

NorCal dog owners howl over proposed leash rules

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A new federal proposal to tighten leash rules on parkland in and around San Francisco has many dog owners barking mad.

The 2,400-page plan released earlier this month by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the country's largest urban national park, would mandate leashes in open spaces where dogs currently roam untethered.

Some popular dog-walking areas would be closed to canines entirely, partly to protect wildlife and native plants.

Park officials said they're trying to balance the often conflicting needs of the park's 16 million annual visitors.

But dog owners say the plan violates the spirit of the 39-year-old recreation area, which historically has been the nation's most pet-friendly national park.

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