If you are planning to take your dog on any hikes or camping trips this spring and summer, the Division of Wildlife Resources has a clear message for you. Do not allow your pets to chase or harass any wildlife. “If they get chased, it uses up energy they may need to survive,” shares DWR Big Game Coordinator Covy Jones. “These animals are already depleted, and they often can’t afford to waste energy. If you or a pet force them to move away from where they are trying to feed, it could be harmful.” The DWR shares that while there are many other areas throughout the state where dogs aren’t required to stay on a leash, pet owners should not let their dogs chase deer, elk, moose or other wild animals. It is harmful to wildlife and dangerous for your pet. “Wildlife is often unpredictable and may injure or kill a dog seen as threatening,” says Jones. Dogs that are off leash can also injure or kill small mammals, deer, elk or moose. Pet owners should note that Utah law states that a person may kill or injure a dog that is “attacking, chasing or worrying any species of hoofed protected wildlife.”
