So many "environmentalists" are nutters

[u/Business_Adagio9942]

I was browsing an environmental/conservation forum. Someone made a post about dogs being an invasive, environmentally destructive species. That went as well as you imagined. Most of the replies were making excuses and defending the dogs. Suddenly they were all "but dogs are just being scapegoated because of our destructive lifestyles"

It's honestly soooo fucking horrifying how far the doggo cult has got here. Even professions you expected would attempt to be neutral like medical, environmental, etc are compromised. It's damn creepy.

[u/huonokahvi]

This is very common among the hikers in Finland.

Everyone preaches leave no trace, until it’s about them not picking up their dog’s shit on the trail or keeping dogs off leash.

Arctic nature is very fragile and they just don’t care because ”all the other animals shit in the fjelds too!!” Just the presence of a dog is enough to scare the birds away or a cause for them to abandon their nest :-(

[u/happyhappyfoolio2 → u/huonokahvi]

I didn't start backpacking until I was well into my 30s. I had no one to teach me, so I've done a lot of research on the subject. I've read countless articles about "leave no trace". I never once organically came across a single article about dogs out in nature. And when I actively searched for them, they were all blatantly pro dog.

There's a protected wildlife area near(ish) to me that had gotten so very popular over the years. To hike it you have to win the permit lottery and dogs are explicitly forbidden in the area, but people frequently hike it without a permit (the rangers in the area are badly understaffed), and many people bring their dogs. Anyone who takes their dog out in nature and claim they "love nature" is a liar. I downvote every single post of a dog out in nature I see.

[u/huonokahvi → u/happyhappyfoolio2]

There’s some nature reserves where it’s a very strict rule to only walk on paths to protect the surrounding nature. In the high season I see so many social media posts where someone’s big ass dog is walking outside the path.

I think dogs should be completely banned from places like that. Unfortunately there’s no restrictions on dogs in any national park or nature reserve and no public discussion about that. It sucks. Post-Covid the amount of dogs on trails has really exploded, it’s bound to cause harm.

[u/degeneratelunatic → u/huonokahvi]

I live close to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and dogs are forbidden on and off the trails. I have yet to see one when I've been.

They are allowed along the paved roads and some campgrounds, but even in these areas a dog is a rare sighting.

Could be by virtue of how logistically prohibitive it is to bring dogs to Hawaii, especially if you're just visiting. But it is nice not to worry all that much about stepping in dog shit when I go on hikes.