Although huge signs clearly state that no pets are allowed in the Celery Farm, Patty and I happened upon two professional dog walkers with 10 dogs heading into the preserve yesterday. At least one of the dogs was off a leash.

The walkers played dumb until I said I would call the police.  Then they left, in two cars.

Two decades ago, Stiles Thomas led the fight to get pets banned from the preserve. The dogs flushed birds and disrupted nesting ground birds, and dog poop and discarded bags of dog poop were everywhere -- some tossed into the multiflora rosebushes. Volunteers had to clean up.

If you see these guys in the Celery Farm, call the Allendale police. No nature preserves in N.J. allow pets...