Pets are currently restricted on some Fire Island beaches. Check for latest closures or watch for signs before you venture onto the ocean shoreline with your dog!

•  Pets on the Beach

Pets must be kept under control on a leash no more than six feet in length. Keeping pets on the boardwalk helps protect them from ticks which may transmit Lyme disease to dogs and people.

Fire Island National Seashore offers many areas where you and your pet may enjoy the park together responsibly. Sites operated by the National Park Service allow pets with a few restrictions: pets (excluding service animals) are not allowed in buildings, on life-guarded areas of the beach, picnic areas, or in areas closed for wildlife protection, and pets must be leashed at all times. 

Service animals include any guide dog, signal dog or other animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including but not limited to guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing, mobility assistance dogs and seizure alert dogs. 

Dogs and other domestic pets may be permitted to ride on ferries to Fire Island, at the discretion of the captain. A dog fare is charged. 

During the summer, when piping plovers and colonial nesting birds are nesting, long stretches of beach may be closed to pets, and pets are not allowed in the wilderness area at that time. Your dog may walk with you on boardwalks, foot trails, and through the Sunken Forest. Pets are permitted to stay with you in the Watch Hill and Sailors Haven marinas and at the Watch Hill Campground. However, pets may not be tied to docks, boardwalks, structures or facilities, and may not be left unattended. For a current list of areas closed to pets, please check "Park News" or see "Pets on the Beach."

All pet excrement in public use areas or on the beach must be picked up and disposed of properly.

For the safety of your pet, the park's resources, and other visitors, your pet must be kept on leash and under control. Leashes must be six feet in length or less. With a leash, your pet is less likely to be exposed to ticks (and Lyme disease), poison ivy, or other plants with thorns or burs. It also decreases the chance of a dangerous encounter with wildlife or other pets.

When you bring your pet to the park be aware of your surroundings. Respect the rights of others who may have a fear of your pet—even a friendly one. Remember to bring plenty of food and water, clean up after your pet, and never leave a pet tied up and unattended. Don't forget that the heat of summer and walking in the sand can be stressful for many dogs.

Rules and restrictions on pets vary in the Fire Island communities. If you plan on visiting one of the 17 communities, Robert Moses State Park, or Smith Point County Park, please contact them directly for their current regulations regarding pets.