Social media is gushing over a dad on a mission to visit every national park with his adorable dog and become a certified bark ranger. Meet Don Longano and his 9-year-old rescue pup, Mochi, who kicked off this journey last summer at Gettysburg National Military Park.
Since being adopted during the pandemic, Mochi has enjoyed plenty of adventures, but now she’s taking it to the next level with her dad! The National Park Service’s Bark Ranger program is part of their Healthy People Healthy Parks initiative. While dogs take home the title of bark ranger, their owners are responsible for following park rules: cleaning up after them, keeping them leashed, respecting wildlife, and knowing where pets are allowed.
Every Bark Ranger program varies. Some parks feature special pledges and unique badges for pets, and Longano and Mochi have already collected a couple! After their trip to Eisenhower Farm, they discovered the Great Falls park nearby, leading to their second stop on the journey to all 63 parks.
Longano shares Mochi’s achievements with his daughter every time she comes home, and a recent TikTok video from @studio_moomoo showcasing Mochi’s new ranger tag has gone viral, racking up over 2.1 million views.
The Eisenhower Farm holds a special place in their hearts due to the unique paw print badge Mochi earned, which pays homage to Dwight D. Eisenhower’s five-star general status. Their visit also doubled as a history lesson, with Mochi exploring dog statues at Gettysburg.
Longano believes being a bark ranger is a fantastic opportunity for Mochi, as it combines fun park visits, exercise, and learning about history. It’s no wonder viewers are enamored with Mochi’s journey, as they chimed in with comments celebrating her bark ranger status. “Mochi is climbing the national parks ladder,” remarked one fan, while another joked, “That’s a lot of responsibility for such a little guy.”
But Mochi is more than ready to take on the challenge!