PETS WELCOME in Venice—Part 1
The hot summer is here, so this is a good time to remind you that Venice is pet friendly. Come to Venice, and bring your pets … we’d love to have you! What makes the city pet friendly is the wide open spaces, dog parks, beaches, and walking trails … a pet-friendly shopping district … plenty of veterinary services … pet-friendly overnight accommodations … dog sitters … and a general welcoming atmosphere. You’ll find all that, and more, in Venice.
WIDE OPEN SPACES, DOG PARKS, BEACHES
Venice has more than 30 parks ranging in size from tiny pocket parks to the beach along the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the more unique parks include Paw Park, where dogs may romp on the beach, and Venetian Waterway Park, where people may bike and hike on a 5-mile stretch along both sides the Intracoastal Waterway.
Woodmere Dog Park
• Amenities: Woodmere Dog Park is a great place to take dogs on a hot Florida day. It is an off-leash park and a wonderful spot to exercise your pet—and there’s plenty of free parking! The area is completely covered in shade, and the dogs have plenty of room to run. There is a special area for really small dogs, and there are places to wash your dogs when you leave. Sit on a bench and watch your pet romp! Make sure to bring a bottle of water for yourself, as fountains are available for dogs only.
• Location: 3951 Woodmere Park Blvd., Venice.
Venitian Waterway Park
• Developed by Venice Area Beautification Inc., assisted by city and county governments and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the linear park has 5 miles of bicycle or walking trails on each side of the Intracoastal Waterway. It connects to Legacy Trail at the Historic Venice Train Station, 301 E. Venice Ave., creating almost 30 miles of uninterrupted trails.
• Amenities: Benches, litter receptacles, dog clean-up stations, picnic shelters and grills, scenic ICW views and glimpses of wildlife are found along the 10-mile long, 10-foot wide linear trail for walkers, joggers and bikers. No motor vehicles allowed.
• Location: Along both sides of the Intracoastal Waterway. Parking on the west side of the ICW is located at the northwest trailhead off of Nokomis Avenue, behind the Venice Theatre; on Golf Street; on the east side of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation; and at the east end of Airport Avenue, on the dirt road, to the south side of Circus Bridge. Parking on the east side of the ICW is at Marina Park and Boat Ramp, the historic Venice Train Depot, and Shamrock Park in South Venice.
Brohard Paw Park
• Amenities: For dog lovers, noteworthy in Venice is The Brohard Paw Park (1600 Harbor Dr. S., 941-861-9830), with fenced dog play yard, dog drinking fountains, showers on decks for dogs only, fire hydrants and leash posts. Other amenities are picnic tables, benches, showers, and drinking fountains for humans and dogs. Dog lovers have declared this park and beach to be the best dog friendly park in the state. Open daily, 7 a.m. – dusk.
• Location: 1600 S. Harbor Drive.
Brohard Paw Park Beach
• Brohard Paw Park is adjacent to Brohard Paw Park Beach, the only beach area in the county where dogs are allowed to roam free. Bring your pup, and enjoy the sand and surf together! Parking is available at both the park and beach.
• Location: Adjacent to Brohard Paw Park, 1600 S. Harbor Drive
