Dog-Friendly Alameda

Thumbs up or down on where the Island rates with dogs.

Janine Shafer: I consider my dog a true companion, so I am pleased to have him welcomed in several of the businesses I frequent in Alameda. We are blessed to have such a walkable island with so much beauty to enjoy from which our canine companions also benefit. Several great places to walk include Crab Cove/Crown Harbor and Ballena Bay, which both offer Mutt Mitt stations where you can get your doggie waste bags along the walk. I wish our parks had these. Maybe the city would consider this idea if they had sponsors of these pick-up bag stations like adopt a highway. It could be adopt a poop bag station. I would sponsor a few!

Molly Hollis: Up until about 15 years ago or so, I would say Alameda would not have been considered a dog-friendly town. The owner of the coffee shop, Sunny Beans on Santa Clara Avenue, brought real awareness and was an advocate for our dogs. Alameda lacked open spaces and safe places for dogs to run and be free without collars. We didn’t see as many dogs being walked by their owners on the sidewalks with leashes and carrying plastic poop bags. She went to town and fought for all the dog parks we have today. From just that idea, the dog fever spread.

Susan Sherrat: Alameda is definitely dog friendly. It’s a wonderful place to walk a dog. Between the lagoons on Harbor Bay, the beach at South Shore, and the tree-lined streets on the main island, it’s pretty much a dog-owner’s and a dog’s perfect landscape.

Tim Wear: Yes, I find Alameda a dog-friendly city for the most part. The streets are pleasant, and the people and other dogs we meet are very nice. We also venture to Park Street, headed to our favorite pet shop, and we enjoy our stroll there, too. Shoreline Drive is another nice walk. However, what I’m not enamored with is the dog park abutting Washington Park. So, street-walking gets a thumbs up; our dog parks, a thumbs down.

Bruce Johnson: Bay Farm Island is a dog-walking paradise. It’s where our shelter-rescue dog has provided us with a great way to meet our neighbors and their dogs.

This article appears in the July 2014 issue of Alameda Magazine
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