Re [at-l] thru-hiking with a dog

[yumitori@montana.com (Ron Martino)]

Papa Bear wrote:

> It's not so much that I expect to get some doggie disease - I doubt I would.
> It's partly esthetic - sort of like seeing garbage from dish washing where
> you dip in to get your water.

	About 20 - 25 years back the city of Missoula was still drawing some of
its water from a local stream, with minimal treatment. Increasing
recreational use by hikers and joggers with their dogs spread giardia to
the stream, where the local beaver population carried it further.

	Dogs love to play in water, but are even less discriminating in their
habits than some hikers. I wouldn't trust a stream frequented by dogs,
regardless of whether I'm upstream or not.

	Ron
-- 

yumitori(AT)montana(DOT)com