06/09/2026
"No Pets" does not mean "No Service Dogs."
As this guide dog team enjoys a walk along Michigan’s Glen Haven Beach, it's a great reminder that service animals are not pets. Trained service dogs are generally allowed in public places where pets may not be, including many beaches with "No Pets" rules.
Guide dogs provide essential assistance that helps people who are blind travel safely and independently. Their presence is part of making public spaces accessible to everyone.
There are a few exceptions in especially sensitive wildlife areas, where even service animals may be restricted to help protect nesting birds or other vulnerable species. But in most public spaces, people with disabilities have the right to be accompanied by their service animals.
Guide dogs help open the door to independence, adventure, and equal access to the outdoors.
Video Description
A woman is being guided along the water’s edge of Lake Michigan by her German shepherd guide dog. The woman wears a white shirt, jeans, and hiking boots. The water of the lake gently laps the sandy shore on a calm sunny day.
