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Dog-friendly guide

Dog-friendly New York.

316 dog-friendly pet shops, dog parks, bars and more across 59 New York neighborhoods. Pop in, or leave a note, and the next person knows what to expect.

82 Bars

Dog-friendly bars in New York

19 Restaurants

Dog-friendly restaurants in New York

26 Coffee

Dog-friendly cafes in New York

92 Dog Parks

Dog-friendly dog parks in New York

97 Pet Shops

Dog-friendly pet shops in New York

Before you go

Rules that matter in New York

Transit

Subway and bus: in a bag or other container

The MTA lets a pet ride the subway and buses only in a bag or other container, carried so it doesn't bother other riders. On the Long Island Rail Road the container has to fit on your lap. Metro-North also takes a dog on a leash, kept under control for the whole trip. Service animals come under a separate policy.

Source: MTA, Taking your pet on MTA subways, buses, and railroads, checked

Transit

NYC Ferry: on a short leash, off the seats

NYC Ferry's pet policy, updated in June 2026, lets a well-behaved dog on board and at the landings: house-trained, quiet, on a short leash that keeps it within about two feet of you, off the seats and out of the aisles. Any other pet needs a fully enclosed carrier that fits on your lap or under the seat.

Source: NYC Ferry, Pet Policy, checked

Parks

Parks: a six-foot leash, loose only before 9am and after 9pm

NYC Parks requires a leash no longer than six feet everywhere except a dog run or a designated off-leash area, where dogs can be loose from the park's opening until 9am and again from 9pm until it closes. No dogs in playgrounds, ball fields, courts, fountains or pools. Carry proof of the license and rabies shot; the Health Code requires it whenever the dog is in public.

Source: NYC Parks, Dogs in New York City Parks, checked

Parks

Beaches: October 2 to the Friday before Memorial Day

City beaches are off limits to dogs in the swimming season. From Memorial Day weekend to October 1 they're barred from the sand, and at Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach and Rockaway from the boardwalk or promenade as well. From October 2 to the Friday before Memorial Day, NYC Parks allows dogs on the sand at every city beach, as a courtesy.

Source: NYC Parks, Dogs in New York City Parks, checked

Season

Heat: short walks, and not on hot asphalt

The ASPCA's hot-weather advice: when it's very hot, keep walks to a minimum and don't let the dog linger on asphalt, which burns paw pads and heats a body that's close to the ground. Fresh water and shade, no over-exercising, and never a dog alone in a parked car. Heavy panting, drooling and weakness are the warning signs.

Source: ASPCA, Hot Weather Safety Tips, checked
Can my dog ride the subway?
Yes, in a bag or other container, carried so it doesn't bother other riders. That's the MTA's rule for the subway and buses; the railroads have their own.Source: MTA, Taking your pet on MTA subways, buses, and railroads, checked
Can my dog come inside a restaurant?
Only a service dog can. The Health Department's dining-with-dogs rule lets a restaurant choose to allow pet dogs in its outdoor dining areas, meaning sidewalk cafes, backyards and patios, and no restaurant has to. A dog that is allowed comes in straight from outside, stays within arm's length on a leash or in a carrier, and keeps off the chairs.Source: NYC Health Department, Dining With Dogs rule: what restaurants need to know, checked
When can my dog be off the leash?
In a dog run whenever the park is open. In a park with a designated off-leash area, from opening until 9am and from 9pm until closing. Everywhere else the leash stays on and can't be longer than six feet.Source: NYC Parks, Dogs in New York City Parks, checked
Can we go to the beach?
From October 2 to the Friday before Memorial Day, yes: NYC Parks allows dogs on the sand at every city beach. In the swimming season the sand is closed to dogs, and at several beaches the boardwalk too.Source: NYC Parks, Dogs in New York City Parks, checked

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