Puppy Lays Claim to Vast American Wilderness

When a beagle named Copper set out on a mapping expedition last fall, he never dreamed he’d find such pristine, untapped wilds. The puppy has sent reports back to base camp with tales of vast, uninhabited forests in the Great Smoky Mountains of the Southeastern U.S.

According to his bank rollers, Copper has claimed the land for himself, and set up a make-shift municipality called Copperton. Early reports indicate that he has begun settling the wilds.

“It’s hard to mark 187,000 acres of Appalachia with your pee, but Copper’s working on it,” says park ranger Dan Fillion, who is keeping tabs on the puppy from a distance. “He can make claims all he wants. This place has been federal parkland since 1934.”

It’s likely Copper is unaware of the legal challenges to his claim, but friends of the beagle expect him to fight for it in court when the issue arises.

Via Kelly Bolinger. Originally published on HelloGiggles.