The joy of a dog running free in the surf is a thing to behold. Problem is, few places allow it in the bay area.
The premier dog beach is at Fort De Soto, but there are a handful of other options, including some that are technically illegal.
"She requested this beach," said Kevin McGann, who drove his 7-year-old black Labrador, Sasha, two hours from Orlando to enjoy the dog beach at Fort De Soto. The park's 200-yard expanse reserved for dogs is a paradise for pet owners - a Top 10 finalist in Dog Fancy magazine's contest for best dog beach in the United States.
At Fort De Soto, owners must have dogs under voice control and be responsible for their dogs' actions. And, of course, clean up after them.
Just southeast along the Intracoastal Waterway is a tiny illegal secret in Abercrombie Park. A long, thin, green corridor from Park Street to the water, Abercrombie doesn't have a fenced dog park, although dogs are allowed on a leash. They're not supposed to swim, but in the obscurity of the oak-shaded 20-foot beach, some of them sneak in the water.
Same for Lassing Park in St. Petersburg. Dogs are not supposed to swim there but have been known to disregard man's laws.
Clint Footlick, St. Petersburg's park operations manager, conceded that where no one complains, dogs can bend the rules. No new dog beaches are planned.
Owners could let dogs swim in lakes, he said, but "that's not very wise. We have a healthy population of alligators."
