By Gabrielle Terrett

The Vicksburg Post

Pet owners who enjoy bringing their furry friends to the Vicksburg National Military Park are invited to attend the VNMP’s first BARK Ranger program Sunday.

The event was rescheduled due to the threat of weather Saturday.

The program, designed to educate visitors on ways to utilize the park in a responsible way with their pets, will be held at 1 p.m. in front of the visitors center.

“We just want to encourage visitors to enjoy the park with their pets,” VNMP Chief of Interpretation Scott Babinowich said.

“Most of our visitors are pet owners and they bring in their pets but we want them to know how to enjoy the park respectfully.”

Babinowich said learning about VNMP regulations and rules will make using the park more enjoyable for pets and their owners.

“Owners and dogs learn about the park and how to respect it because this is different from a neighborhood. There are other animals like snakes, squirrels and bobcats.”

The programs are free, however, regular entrance fees will be charged and dogs must remain on a six-foot long or shorter leash at all times. Owners are also responsible for cleaning up after their pets.

The BARK Ranger program will also consist of a brief discussion about the contribution of animals in the Civil War, a 2.75 mile walk through the park and a ceremony to swear in participating dogs as the VNMP’s first BARK Rangers and present them with a token of their accomplishment.

“This is an exciting development for Vicksburg National Military Park,” Babinowich said. “Many dog owners already use the park for active recreation, and we hope to encourage more of the local community to explore the military park with their dogs in a responsible way and learn more about this amazing resource in our backyard.”

For more information on the VNMP’s BARK Ranger program, visit go.nps.gov/VicksburgDogs.