News Release

First B.A.R.K. Ranger Event at Big Spring

Ozark Riverways "Bark" Ranger Sophie is ready for duty at the first B.A.R.K. Ranger event, Saturday, September 15.

News Release Date: September 6, 2018

Contact: Cathy Runge, 573-323-4806

Contact: Dena Matteson, 573-323-4814

Van Buren, MO: Ozark National Scenic Riverways will host our first ever B.A.R.K. Ranger event for our furry, four-legged friends on Saturday, September 15, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Big Spring. Join a Park Ranger for a short hike around Big Spring and learn about the benefits of visiting the park with your pet. Make sure to bring a leash, as well as doggie bags for easy clean up, and a water bowl if your dog needs one. This program is free and all dogs are welcome to become B.A.R.K. Rangers.  

More and more people are traveling and recreating with their pets. This event celebrates dogs and promotes getting outside for a walk with your pet in a nearby national park. All pets and their owners will learn the B.A.R.K. code of ethics: 

Bag your waste
Always wear a leash
Respect wildlife
Know where you can go

At the conclusion of the event, your pups will take the B.A.R.K. Ranger Pledge, receive a B.A.R.K. Ranger bandana and be sworn in as official B.A.R.K. Rangers! For more information about the program, contact Park Ranger Cathy Runge at 573-323-4806.  

Big Spring is located four miles south of Van Buren, Missouri, on State Route 103. The Big Spring Bridge is currently closed for construction, so visitors should follow State Route 103 to Peavine Road and turn left, following Peavine Road to reach Big Spring. 

Ozark National Scenic Riverways preserves the free-flowing Current and Jacks Fork Rivers, the surrounding natural resources, and the unique cultural heritage of the Ozark people. For more information, visit our website at www.nps.gov/ozar.

www.nps.gov/ozar

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees who care for America’s 417 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.