Pet should be able to stand, turn around, and lie down in crates.

DOGS AT THE LAKE
Pet Recreation at the Bijou Dog Park.

Opened in 2008, the South Lake Tahoe Bijou Dog Park is one of the most used facilities in the city. People of all ages come to spend quality time with their dogs and find new friends as well.

The Lake Tahoe Humane Society and S.P.C.A. is proud to support this facility. We encourage all to follow Dog Park Etiquette and to educate others, keeping Bijou Dog Park a safe and fun space for our Best Friends.

Tahoe Parks, Beaches and Trails

Please call for updates to the following information, (530) 542-2857.

New Dog Water Park at Regan Beach!
Dogs are permitted on leash at Kiva Beach and Cove East on the South Shore. They are limited to a small portion of Lake Forest Beach on the North Shore. At these beaches, dogs are allowed off leash for water play. Mind your pet to avoid running through someone else’s beach spot or worse. Monitor your pet so that birds are not stressed or harmed by a playful chase. Pick up poop.

On State property, dogs must be on leash and are allowed in parking areas only. No dogs are allowed on trails. On Federal lands, dogs must be under voice or leash control at all times. Harrassment of wildlife or interference with other trail users is prohibited and rules are strictly enforced.

Please practice good manners to keep our beaches and trails available for our canine companions. Pick up dog waste. It is environmentally damaging as well as just plain gross when you or others step in it. Remember that your “friendly dog” jumping on others can be scary as well as dangerous.

Dog Friendly Beaches

South Shore
Cove East at East End of Venice Boulevard off Tahoe Keys Boulevard
Kiva Beach between Camp Richardson and Tallac Point at Baldwin Beach (Sensitive Bald Eagle habitat)
Regan Beach Dog Water Park (signs on east side of entrance)

North Shore
Lake Forest Beach at the end of Bristlecone Avenue (small dog area on right)
Carnelian Bay Beach
Patton Landing Beach near Carnelian Bay

West Shore
Chambers Landing Beach

Pet Safety

On the Trail

Altitude affects pets as well as people. Take it easy at first. Granite cuts paws! Dog boots are a good idea. Check your pet’s paws regularly for cuts and bleeding. Each year, calls for help go out because a canine companion simply collapses on the trail - too hurt to continue. Can you carry your dog down Mt. Tallac? Pad toughening ointments are available from your veterinarian.

Keep your dog in sight. Best, keep your dog on leash. Disorientation and wildlife encounters are all too often the cause of a lost pet, left to survive in the wild on its own. Your dog is your best buddy. It’s up to you to keep him or her safe.

Take water for your dog, too. Giardia is a constant problem for pets and people.

In the Water

Lake Tahoe is cold all year. Pets as well as people are subject to exhaustion, drowning and to hypothermia. A pet life jacket is a good idea.

Rivers run fast, especially during the early summer months. Each year, dogs die when - especially if they are off leash - they wade in and get caught by currents at a waterfall or in a fast running stream.

Winter Pet Safety Tips

The changes in the weather require responsible pet owners to stay aware of companion animal needs and the distractions that can lead to ignoring them.

• Remember to make a pet supply list while you plan for winter emergencies or travel. Be sure to update pet ID tags with current phone number and address.
• Beware of antifreeze (a sweet tasting killer) and harsh ice melt (which can burn pads). Use pet-safe antifreeze and snow melt. Save domestics and wildlife by wiping up spills.
• All life seeks heat. Protect stove tops and pound on the hood of your car before starting your car engine.
• Prevent ice cuts on foot pads with "Pad-Tuf" or another pet product from your veterinarian or pet store. Sled dog boots provide full protection. See your veterinarian at the first sign of frostbite.
• Transport pets in carriers, never in the wind on a metal truck bed.
• Food foraging for wild animals can become more difficult in the winter. Protect your pets by feeding indoors only. Keep garbage lids secure to avoid creating a "feeding station".
• Eliminate dampness and kill chills with wind baffles and regular changing of straw or other bedding in outdoor pet housing.
• Take the temperature of your garage and other such areas to prevent frozen water as well as frozen pets. Check and refresh outdoor water everyday.
* Move pet beds and fish bowls away from windows and drafts.
* Survey your yard for snow buildups which create bridges over fences where pets can escape. Prevent escapes by creating air moats with strategic shoveling. *
• Provide dry ground, wind free shelter and dry food storage for horses and livestock.
• Protect your pets from holiday decorations, candy, rich people foods, careless and noisy guests and poisonous seasonal plants (mistletoe, holly berry, poinsettias, Christmas Rose, philodendron, dieffenbachia and other toxic greens).
• Substitute a gift certificate for a live holiday pet. Pets require more than many people are ready to provide. In addition, gift pets often get lost, harmed or devalued in the holiday frenzy.
• In every season, remember that loose dogs and outdoor cats can get injured or even killed fighting with other dogs, cats or "wildlife". They can be exposed to infectious diseases, can get hit by cars, or even get poisoned. Your pet is a feeling, but dependent, family member. Please "Keep Tahoe Kind" every day of the year.

Summer Pet Safety Tips

1. Put water bowls in shade, check and freshen twice a day.
2. Watch for anti-freeze leaks. One sweet tasting drop can kill pets or wildlife. (Support pet-friendly brands like “Sierra”.)
3. Leave pets home on errand day. Engine and solar heat turn your car into a life-threatening furnace within just ten minutes. Dogs left outside stores risk theft, abuse, and fear biting.
4. Save Fido’s paws - never transport your pet on a metal truck bed; use dog boots when hiking granite trails.
5. When boating, regularly cool Fido off with a wet towel.
6. Mow down fox tails; regularly check ears and between toes of outdoor pets.
7. Plan ahead for travel. Make sure a personal pet ID tag is on and up to date. Micro chip in addition.
8. Give pets a safe, quiet place for July 4th fireworks. It’s the number one lost dog day of the year.

Remember the Golden Rule: If you are uncomfortable, your pets are too!

Emergency Preparedness Resources

Protect Your Pets Three Ways Today:

1. Establish a Good Neighbor Plan with neighbors, friends, family. Agree to look out for each other’s pets if someone is absent when disaster strikes. Agree to help house displaced pets when you must evacuate. Identify two alternate meeting places depending upon the extent of the disaster. Make a list of boarding kennels and pet friendly hotels - both near and far. The entire community might be evacuated.

2. Talk to your veterinarian about what your pet might need in an emergency and ask for veterinary and boarding referrals out of the area. Discuss permanent ID such as microchipping.

3. Establish a Family Plan including how the pets will be gathered and who will take the pre-packed pet supplies. Never leave your pets behind. If you must do so, do not tie them up. Leave lots of water in containers. Immediately call El Dorado County Animal Services to request pet rescue when it is safe: (530) 573-7925.

Prepare Your Family and Pack Your Pet “Go Kit” Now!

Those who evacuated during the Angora Fire of Summer 2007 know how important it is to have the entire family - including pets - ready to “Go Now”. That means having food, water, and personal items pre-packed. It means being prepared to keep your pets safe in an open field or in temporary housing. In drought, “Fire Season” is almost year around. Earthquake rumble is ongoing. Rally your family for a “Go Kit” project to outfit you and your pets for at least three unexpected days away from home.

Suggested Items to Include:

1. Crate or carrier large enough for safe confinement away from home. Pet should be able to stand, turn around, and lie down. Smaller dog crates can hold a cat along with a small litter pan.
2. Extra collar, harness or leash for both dogs and cats.
3. Instant ID tag for temporary phone number. Consider microchipping.
4. Copy of vaccination records - be sure your pet vaccinations are up-to-date. If you plan to board your pet, most boarding facilities will require proof of current rabies, distemper, parvo and bordatella vaccinations.
5. Photo of each pet in case of loss and to claim after rescue. Put a family member in the pet photo to prove ownership.
6. Regularly freshen and rotate at least three days of food in airtight, waterproof containers and bottled water just for pets. A rule of thumb for dogs is one gallon per day for a forty pound dog and one quart per day for each cat.
7. Bowls for food and water and cleaning supplies.
8. Favorite toys and bedding.
9. Cat litter and pan - small aluminum foil pans work well. Plastic poop bags.
10. Any regular medication and medical records. Keep med supplies current.
11. Pet First Aid kit.
12. Veterinarian contact number.
13. Boarding kennel and alternate housing phone numbers.
14. Special needs for fish and exotics - pet containers, generator for temperature control; handling equipment; and other life saving items.

Free “Go Kit” Check List, Instant Pet ID Tag, Emergency Window Decal, Wallet Card, and more. Drop by the office or send self addressed 9x11 envelope to:
Pet Go Kit
Lake Tahoe Humane Society
P.O. Box PET, S. Lake Tahoe, CA 96158

Emergency Preparedness Guide available for download at:
www.SouthTahoeEmergencyGuide.com