Spring is blossoming and hatching in Seattle, and now is a particularly important time to ensure that immature wildlife have their best opportunity to flourish in the Northwest. Because of this, the Seattle Animal Shelter will be conducting emphasis patrols on all saltwater beaches in the city.
Dogs are not allowed on any of Seattle’s public saltwater beaches, which includes the beach at Golden Gardens, whether leashed or unleashed. According to the SAS, this law helps to protect the fragile ecosystem along our shorelines.
Marine mammals, such as seal pups who are typically born at this time of year, use the city’s beaches to rest and warm themselves. Shore birds also frequent our beaches and wildlife that interact with dogs are less likely to reach adulthood.
Uniformed animal services officers will be patrolling city parks with a focus on saltwater beaches and may issue citations to violators.
If you would like to report Seattle beaches where dogs are frequently seen, please submit a service request at http://bit.ly/sas-service-request.
You can also contact the shelter directly by calling 206-386-PETS (7387) or by visiting www.seattleanimalshelter.org.
