Surprisingly, even with dozens of pets running over the dunes, only three of the 97 reported rescues were for dogs.
Baxter has been involved in many of these rescues. He explains that people will see their dog land in a precarious situation, call the fire department, and still attempt to conduct a rescue themselves. In the roughly five to six minutes it takes for the rescue team to arrive, the situation can flip entirely.
“Ironically, we’ve had so many incidents where the pet is up with our rescue workers watching us rescue the human companion, because the dog was able to make it back up,” Baxter said.
“This is another reason why we say don’t go over the cliff — call us. If we have to get canceled, we don’t care. We’re happy!”
Daly City resident Julio Valdez walks his dog at Fort Funston twice a day, and he says he’s seen the same thing happen countless times. He said, “A lot of times they don’t give the dog enough justice of being a dog and letting them run free.”
In the various stories shared with KQED by those who had witnessed or participated in these rescues, a trend appeared: A claustrophobic city dog hops out of the car, and the normally house-trained pet has its instincts activated by the distractions of the natural world. Several park visitors said the ravens seem to trick the dogs into chasing them off the edge. Others suggested that the owner’s callback gets drowned out by the wind, or is missed amid the excitement of meeting so many other animals. This may cause a dog owner to panic, thinking their dog has gone rogue, and a chase may ensue. Other times, the human companions might lose sight of their pet, see the shape of their dog slip from view over the crest of a dune, and dive after them.
Unfortunately, the popularity of the park and the frequency of successful rescues may cause people to forget that the attractive landscape has been the site of deadly disasters. They may not know about the man who crashed his hang glider last month, or that on Christmas Day 2020 a person was critically injured after driving her car off the cliff. They may forget that in 2019 a young woman died when the eroded sand gave way and buried her, a friend and their dog on the beach.
Considering how frequently these events happen, one might wonder why leashes are not mandatory, or why people still try to scale down the windswept cliffs.
Sally Stephens is the chair of SFDOG, a dog owner’s group that pushes for expanded access for pet owners in the city, which includes off-leash policies. She says not having to use a leash is ideal for owners who are seeking to train their dog’s behavior or build trust. It is also good for the comfort of dogs, whose emotional well-being relies on mobility.
Stephens says that, ultimately, the responsibility is on dog owners to be conscientious and use their common sense. Her advice for owners is to not let dogs off leash if they do not reliably return to the sound of your voice.
“Off-leash recreation with your dog doesn’t just mean letting your dog run free. In fact the Park Service calls them voice-control areas. You have to have control of your dog, whether that be with a leash or with your voice,” she said.
The unobstructed edges at Fort Funston are beloved but, like all natural wonders, call for awareness and practical knowledge of the environment. If a dog ends up on the slope, Baxter recommends calling the rescue team and emphasizes waiting in place, away from the cliff. Very likely, a dog has a better ability to climb or descend safely than its owner.
However, whether a visitor brings a dog or not, eroded sand is a danger to anybody who stands on it. Take care to follow the signs and not leave the trail — otherwise a rescue team and a city fine might come your way.
