Pets on the Beach

After Labor Day, you can enjoy a stroll on Fire Island National Seashore beaches with your well-mannered dog. Between March 15 and Labor Day, pets are restricted on federally-owned ocean beaches.

Pets must always be leashed, and are not permitted at Robert Moses State Park, parts of Smith Point County Park, or on some Fire Island community beaches. 

 

From March 15 through Labor Day, pets (excluding service animals) are not permitted on Fire Island National Seashore ocean beaches. 

This closure is made to protect federally and state listed threatened and endangered species.

Pets are also not permitted in Robert Moses State Park or parts of Smith Point County Park. Several Fire Island communities prohibit dogs and other pets on the beach. Please check before you plan your visit with your dog. 

 

During the plover nesting season, the National Park Service closes its ocean beaches to pets and kites, and further restricts vehicle access to the beach.

The first piping plover of the season is usually observed on Fire Island by mid-March. Nesting and mating begins soon after the birds arrive, and the first egg of the season can be expected by late April. Fire Island National Seashore begins installation of fencing to protect suitable plover habitat around the beginning of April. As nests are established, exclosures are constructed to protect both the nests and the eggs. After chicks have fledged, or flown from the nest, symbolic fencing is left up to protect suitable habitat for threatened and rare plant species, the seabeach amaranth and the seabeach knotweed.

 

Considerate, responsible pet owners help ensure a peaceful coexistence in the park.

Where dogs are allowed, please remember:

• Pets must always be kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet.

Always be considerate and pick up after your pet. Dispose of pet waste properly. (Don't bury dog feces in the sand on the beach.) 

Where Can I Take My Pet?