Contact:  Jan Thornburg, Sr. Communications Manager   941-650-9693
                 Jan.Thornburg@SarasotaFL.gov

Sarasota, FL: Two new video messages remind beachgoers that Lido Beach is a Fido-free zone. The brief videos produced by the City of Sarasota in partnership with Audubon Florida focus on the unintended consequences of dogs at the beach, including harmful impacts on wildlife and water quality.

“Dogs and Threatened Species” highlights the threats posed by dogs, whether leashed or unleashed, to threatened species currently nesting on Lido Beach, including least terns, snowy plovers, and black skimmers.

“Man’s best friend isn’t bird’s best friend,” said Kylie Wilson, Audubon Florida Education Coordinator.  “Seeing or sensing a dog can cause these threatened birds to fly away from their nests and chicks, leaving them vulnerable to real predators such as crows, crabs and coyotes. It’s important we do everything we can to help these threatened species, and you can help by enjoying your dog away from the beach.”

“Dogs and Water Quality” focuses on the potentially harmful impact to water quality when owners do not pick up after their pet. It is estimated 40% of dog owners in the City of Sarasota leave excrement on the ground, whether on the beach, right-of-way, or backyard.

“We love dogs in Sarasota,” said Jeff Vredenburg, Sustainability Coordinator. “We don’t love it when their waste is left on the ground.  It contains bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. When it rains, eventually that waste will run into one of our waterways and potentially contaminate Sarasota Bay or the Gulf of Mexico.”    

The video messages will be shared on the City of Sarasota website and social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Nextdoor in the coming weeks as residents and visitors plan family beach outings during the summer season.

Two off-leash dog parks are located in the city limits at Arlington Park, 2650 Waldemere St., and Gillespie Park,710 N. Osprey Ave.

Brohard Beach and Paw Park in Venice is the only dog beach in the Sarasota region. 

For more information about the impacts of dogs on the beach with wildlife please visit www.FL.Audubon.org and check out www.SarasotaFL.gov to learn more about water quality issues.

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About the City of Sarasota:  Distinguished by U.S. News and World Report as the 16^th Best Place to Live in the U.S. and the No. 1 Best Place to Retire, the City of Sarasota is a diverse community located on Florida’s Suncoast with 56,000 year-round residents, several internationally recognized cultural arts venues, stunning sunsets along Lido Beach and Major League spring training baseball with the Baltimore Orioles. Learn more about us at www.SarasotaFL.Gov