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Dog-Friendly PlacesBelow is a list of some dog-friendly places in Santa Barbara. However, we urge you to double-check the status of any of these locations before making a special trip, as their policies may be subject to change without notice. And as always, no matter where you and your dog go, please read our "Petiquette" guidelines and observe our basic rules of responsible dog ownership: Know of any other dog-friendly places? Let us know! It has come to our attention that Animal Control and city police have received complaints about professional dog-walkers attempting to walk as many as 10 dogs off-leash at certain City and County parks and beaches. It is Dog PAC's position that one person cannot effectively control more than three off-leash dogs at one time. It is a risk not worth taking. Beaches || Public Parks || Restaurants and Shopping || Places to Stay One of Dog PAC's successes was the lobbying the County to designate off-leash hours at several local County parks. The program started as a pilot program, which was made permanent after a successful year. This program proves that it is possible to have off-leash areas in neighborhoods
Read the Parks Dept. plan, which includes maps, hours, and rules. Please support this program! Its success depends on the responsible use of parks by all dogs and their owners. The County's willingness to launch this pilot program was instrumental in the City Council's decision to allow off-leash recreation at the Douglas Preserve, the beach east of Hendry's, and Hale Park. DogPAC board members monitor the county areas periodically to assess compliance with "courtesy, clean-up, and control." Currently the one beach that is legal for off leash use in the City of Santa Barbara is the beach that runs below the Douglas Family Preserve--it begins east of the slough at Arroyo Burro (Hendry's) Beach, and stretches almost to the steps at Mesa Lane. (The fallen eucalyptus trees are considered the eastern boundary.) From the parking lot at Arroyo Burro, walk to the beach, turn left, and cross the slough—this will bring you to the off-leash legal area. Please be sure your dog(s) is/are leashed in the parking lot and on the beach until you cross the slough. Dogs are not allowed on city beaches, either off-leash or on-leash, starting at the Shoreline Park steps, and running east all the way to the city boundary (i.e. the cliffs that lie between East Beach and Butterfly). The City Parks Department strictly enforces this policy, and will issue citations to violators, whether local or visitors from out of town. Currently, the only two legal, publicly owned off-leash park in the City of Santa Barbara are the Douglas Family Preserve and Hale Park, and their status is dependent on the vagaries of the City Council. The Douglas Family Preserve is accessible from three streets, all located off Mesa Lane: Borton Drive, Mesa School Lane, and Medcliff Rd. Please be considerate of the neighbors as you drive to, and park near, the Preserve; keep your dog(s) leashed until on the Property, and of course, scoop poop. We also remind you that Santa Barbara’s municipal ordinances require that your dog wear her license at all times while on public property, and that Animal Control is free to patrol the Preserve and issue citations to owners whose dogs are not in compliance. Hale Park is a nearly unknown area in western Montecito. It is completely undeveloped--no benches, bathrooms, or water fountains. But there is a poop-bag dispenser! To get to Hale Park, you can go up Hot Springs Road to the stop sign at Sycamore Canyon. Turn left, then left again at the next stop sign -- Camino Viejo Drive. Camino Viejo ends at Alston Road. You can park on the shoulder. Take care with your dogs near the street. Privately-Owned Parks Although DogPAC’s emphasis is on establishing off-leash areas in public parks, we are also grateful for those privately-owned parks that choose to be dog-friendly. There are two in the Santa Barbara area, neither of which receive any public money, and both of which depend on donations from private citizens for their continued existence. ELINGS PARK: off Las Positas Rd., in Santa Barbara, Elings is the largest park of its kind west of the Rocky Mountains. It a private, multi-use facility, with soccer fields, softball diamonds, and areas for weddings, parties, and the like. Elings is also home to the Elings Park Dog Owners Group (EPDOG), which supervises the Park's off-leash permit program. For an annual fee of $60 per dog, owners of dogs licensed in Santa Barbara County may purchase a tag that permits off-leash recreation at the Park. Participants are asked to sign a Code of Conduct; in return, they have the pleasure of off-leash activity in a safe, well-maintained park. For information on enrolling in the off-leash program, email EPDOG at epdogsb@yahoo.com, visit http://www.elingspark.org/support/support.html or call 805-569-5611. GIRSH PARK, with more than 12 acres of open space and playing fields, is located at 7050 Phelps Rd., Girsh Park is off Storke Rd. in Goleta, right behind Costco. Although it has no formal off-leash program at this time, the Park is very dog-friendly overall, providing practice space for several agility and obedience groups. The Channel City Kennel Club joined many other organizaitons and individuals in making donations to Girsh Park to help it purchase adjacent playing fields that were in danger of being sold for development. If you would like to help support dog-friendly open space in Goleta, contact the Park at (805) 968-2773, or visit their web site, www.girshpark.org. Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services aggressively enforces the state’s health and food safety regulations, which exclude all but service dogs from restaurants, even in patio or outdoor areas.
Know of any other dog-friendly places? Let us know! |