May 15, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 

CONTACTS: Nancy Hamilton, Jessica Grace or Lee Rose (239)338-3500

Who let the dogs out on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel in southwest Florida?

 LEE COUNTY, FL  (– It's not only human visitors who are attracted to the unspoiled white sand beaches, exotic wildlife and lush subtropical foliage in the Fort Myers and Sanibel Island area.  With a variety of dog-friendly accommodations and recreation areas, the destination is becoming popular with four-legged visitors, as well.  

Dogs and their owners are making this subtropical paradise a favorite, year-round vacation spot to enjoy a feel of old Florida that no longer exists.  From Florida State Parks and the renowned J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island, to county parks and the designated Dog Beach, this area is proving to be the perfect location for owners and their furry friends to treat themselves to alluring natural wilderness.

 Accommodations welcoming dogs can be found at www.FortMyersSanibel.com .

The "Amenities" tab under the "Property Details" section of each accommodation's listing designates if the property welcomes pets.
 It's important that Fido's human selects the right place to go.  Among the off-leash areas are:

• Barkingham Dog Park: This fenced arena of fun is located within Buckingham Community Park in east Fort Myers at 9800 Buckingham Road.  (239)338-3288.

• Dog Beach: This waterfront wonderland just south of Lovers Key State Park allows Rover to romp in the salt water. It's at 8600 Estero Blvd., near Bonita Beach.  (239)461-7400.

• Estero Community Park: This facility has a fenced area for dogs that opened earlier this year. 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero.  (239)498-0415.

 Animal lovers visiting the north part of Lee County also will have a place to go. Parks & Recreation will open an off-leash dog park this year in the North Fort Myers area.  Stay tuned to www.leeparks.org for details.
 For more variety, consider some of the parks dog owners can go as long as they keep their pooches on leashes:

• Ten Mile Linear Park, a slender green space with a path, allows dogs on leashes. That means you can skate, run, walk or bicycle with your canine companion. Access the park at Daniels and Metro parkways. Or catch the greenway where it crosses Six Mile Cypress Parkway. (239)461-7400.

• When Lee County Parks & Recreation takes over management of the Sanibel Causeway islands in the future, that popular area will be deemed a park where dogs are allowed on leashes.

• Coconut Point, located in Estero, is an open-air shopping center with water stations and oops areas for the special paws and claws shopper. Many of the stores and restaurants are pet friendly, however each shop has an individual pet policy. (239)992-9966

 If it's not posted that Rover can roam there, best not to take your companion. 
Lee County's ordinance says no dogs are allowed in its parks except for special exceptions, such as the above mentioned parks.
 Reasons are plentiful.  At Bunche Beach in Fort Myers as you head toward Sanibel Island, for example, shorebirds come in by the thousands, exhausted from flights across the Gulf of Mexico. To have them disturbed by a curious canine causes the birds to expel energy to flee that they could instead use for feeding, migrating or nesting.

Additional dog-friendly locations:

• The City of Sanibel welcomes all canines to their beaches on-leash.   Along with the city, Sanibel's J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge accepts dogs if they are on a six-foot leash or less.

• Jaycee Park in Cape Coral permits dogs on-leash.

• The 7.5 miles of public beach in the Town of Fort Myers Beach permit dogs on-leash.

• The City of Fort Myers allows dogs on-leash at both Centennial and Clemente parks.

• Some Florida State Parks such as Cayo Costa, Estero Bay Preserve, Koreshan State Historic Site, Lovers Key and Mound Key Archeological accept dogs on a hand-held leash six feet or shorter.

 For more information on accommodations, attractions, and activities on
The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, log onto www.FortMyersSanibel.com .

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel in southwest Florida includes: Sanibel & Captiva islands, Fort Myers Beach, Fort Myers, Bonita Spring, Estero, Cape Coral, Pine Island, Boca Grande & Outer islands, North Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres.  Dog-related images available upon request.

Printable Version