Is the Isle of Palms dog friendly? You bet it is! Whether you’re vacationing here and want to bring your pup along or looking for the perfect piece of real estate to purchase, your pooch will fit in quite well here. The video below visits a couple who have owned a second home on the Isle of Palms for several years. When they were looking for beach property in the Charleston area, one of their big concerns was how well their dogs would be received, and they found that IOP’s dog rules were the friendliest.
If you’re living on the Isle of Palms, you must register your dog with the city, and he or she needs to have up-to-date rabies shots. The registration fee is $5 per dog, and you will receive a tag to attach to your animal’s collar. This will help the city quickly identify your pooch if he becomes lost. You can register your pets by visiting the IOP Public Safety Building (30 J.C. Long Boulevard, phone: 843-886-6522). They are open Monday through Sunday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. for this purpose.
If you are visiting the area for vacation, then you do not need to register your pet, but it is a good idea to make sure all vaccinations are current and that your dog is wearing some type of identification just in case he goes missing.
If your dog (or cat) goes missing, check with the IOP Animal Control’s kennel facility located behind at the city police department (30 J.C. Long Boulevard, phone: 843-886-6522). This is where your pet will be taken if picked up by animal control. The kennel is only meant for short-term stays, and if your pet cannot be identified, he will soon be transferred to the Charleston Animal Society in North Charleston (2455 Remount Road, phone: 843-747-4849).
If your pooch likes to run off-leash, you can visit the beach or the IOP Bark Park (24 Twenty-eighth Avenue, behind the IOP Rec Center).
Off-leash hours at the beach vary depending on season and are as follows:
- Summer, April 1–September 14, 5:00 a.m.–8:00a.m.
- Winter, September 15–March 31, 4:00 p.m.–10:00 a.m.
Clean up after your pet to reduce the spread of parasites and disease and so that everyone can enjoy the beach. The Isle of Palms makes this task convenient by providing doggie waste bag dispensers at all public beach access points and plenty of trash receptacles.
If you’re renting a vacation home on the Isle of Palms and would like to bring your pet, check with the owner or rental company. Sometimes vacation homes will allow pets even if they don’t advertise it. An additional pet deposit is often required.
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