A recent encounter between a husky and a huge bison at Grand Teton National Park shows the importance of always keeping dogs on a leash near wildlife. In the clip, the dog and bison are both following their instincts, the husky barking and the bison charging.
Luckily the standoff ended without injury to either animal, but it's easy to see how things could have gone differently.
The video, which you can watch below, was recorded by Matty Deehan (opens in new tab) on a visit to the park, and shared on Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone (opens in new tab), which highlights bad behavior at US National Parks and other sites of natural beauty.
"Dog owners didn’t have their dog on a leash in GTNP while observing a wild bison herd," wrote Deehan. "Needless to say the huskies [sic] instinct kicked in. The massive bison was being a bison."
Dogs (and even cats) are welcome at many US National Parks (see our guide to the best National Parks for dogs for some suggestions), but it's important to take responsibility for your good boy or girl.
Rules vary by park, but the National Park Service has published a map showing all the locations where pets are welcome (opens in new tab), which you can click for more details. At Grand Teton (opens in new tab), for example, dogs have to be under physical control at all times, whether that's in a crate or on a leash no longer than 6ft. They aren't allowed in the backcountry or on park trails, and allowing dogs to frighten wildlife is prohibited.
The NPS has also compiled a set of tips for camping with your pet (opens in new tab), including being aware of whether your animal is likely to cause a disturbance, whether it is in good health, and what you will be able to do together if pets aren't allowed on trails.
