Indian River County Dog Parks

The Dogs for Life park in Vero Beach is a private, non-profit, member-supported park which is open from dawn to dusk daily. Membership at Dogs for Life costs $250/yr for the first dog and $50/yr for additional dogs. The park is fully fenced in with different areas sectioned off, an agility course, water and is well shaded. The park also has regular events and training classes can be attended for $10 per class. To find out more about Dogs for Life, Inc. visit their web site www.dogsforlifevb.com

Indian River County also runs three on/off leash dog parks which are free to the public, have waste bags/bins available and signs posted that list the rules and hours of operation.

The first and largest of the three is located in Vero Beach between Bob Summers field and the Indian River Lagoon just north of the Beachland Blvd. Bridge, it has no fences so be ready for your dog to take a dip in the river. This park is open from 5:30a.m. - 8:30a.m. each morning but there is a pretty decent after work crowd as well. There are benches along the river side of the park and there is a water source near the entrance of the park, though you may prefer to bring your own water since the water source is just a slow drip that can't be refilled.

The second largest park is in Vero Beach at 27th Street and 11th Court behind Michael Field and is a half acre fenced in. No water or shade is at the facility and it's still fairly unknown so there aren't many other dogs. This can be a good thing if you want a more personal setting with your dog though. This park is open 5:30 a.m. to noon everyday except Saturday, when it will close at 8 a.m. to avoid interference with Little League games.

The smallest of the parks at just .2 acres is in Sebastian at the intersection of Keen Terrace and Wimbrow Drive, southeast of County Road 512 and is in a southeast section of the 7.4-acre Keen Terrace Park. This park is due to open this summer and will include a water fountain, waste bag dispensers, and signs listing park rules. The park will be open from dawn to dusk.