Cape Ann dogs
Cape Ann dogs: beaches, trails, rules and seasons
Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea each set their own dog rules, and they change by the calendar. We keep them in one place, dated, sourced and re-checked every spring and fall.
Beaches
Dogs at Good Harbor Beach: even days, October 1 to March 31
Even-numbered dates only, October 1 to March 31, then closed for plovers. The rule, the recall and the bath after.
Read Gloucester beachesDogs at Wingaersheek Beach: odd days, October 1 to April 30
Odd-numbered dates only, October 1 to April 30, and the only big Gloucester dog beach open in April. The tide, the recall, the bath.
Read Gloucester beachesDogs at Gloucester's neighborhood beaches: the small-beach rules
Plum Cove and Cressy take dogs October 1 to April 30 with no date rule. Niles and Pavilion follow the city ordinance.
Read Gloucester and RockportDogs at Long Beach: the Gloucester and Rockport halves have different rules
The Gloucester half follows the city's October to April rule, the Rockport half its June 1 to September 15 ban. Read both.
Read Rockport beachesDogs on Rockport beaches: Front, Back, Cape Hedge and Pebble, off-season only
No dogs June 1 to September 15 on any Rockport beach, then a leash or direct voice control. What the town posts.
Read Manchester-by-the-SeaDogs at Singing Beach: October 15 to April 14, licensed and vaccinated
October 15 to April 14, licensed and vaccinated, two dogs per person, a walk-on fee while staff are on duty.
Read Ipswich, The TrusteesDogs at Crane Beach: leashed, October 1 to March 31
Leashed dogs October 1 to March 31 under The Trustees, closed April to September. The leash, the salt and the bath after.
Read Essex beachesDogs on Essex beaches: closed June through August, no leash law
Closed to dogs June, July and August, open the other nine months, no leash law. What Essex posts and what that freedom asks.
Read Beverly beachesDogs at Beverly beaches: Lynch Park and Dane Street hours
Lynch Park and Dane Street Beach allow dogs during posted hours that change by season. Where the hours live, and what they ask.
Read The whole yearThe Cape Ann dog beach calendar: every town, every date
Every town's dog beach dates in one table, Gloucester to Beverly, with the odd and even rule, the plover closures and the summer gap.
ReadRules
Gloucester dog license: the City Clerk, the fees and the April 30 deadline
The City Clerk at 9 Dale Ave, $20 plus a $1 fee for an altered dog, a rabies certificate, and the April 30 deadline.
Read Rockport rulesRockport dog license and dog rules: what the town asks
Licensed through the town, leash or direct voice control everywhere, and no dogs on the beaches June 1 to September 15.
Read Essex rulesEssex dog license: the town without a leash law
Licensed by the town, no town-wide leash law, and beaches closed to dogs in June, July and August.
Read Manchester rulesManchester-by-the-Sea dog license: April 1 renewals, $20 or $25
The license year runs April 1 to March 31 at $20, or $25 if not neutered, and Singing Beach checks the tag.
Read State law, daycare policyMassachusetts dog vaccination law: rabies is the law, the rest is daycare policy
Rabies is the only vaccine Massachusetts requires; DHPP, Bordetella and the city license are Dogtown policy for playgroups.
Read Ollie's LawOllie's Law: what the Massachusetts kennel safety law means for your daycare
Signed September 20, 2024, with MDAR regulations due in 2026 on ratios, group sizes, injury reporting and fire planning.
Read Gloucester rulesGloucester's leash law and dog ordinances, plainly
Leash off your property, off leash inside the fenced dog park at Stage Fort, beaches October 1 to April 30, in plain words.
ReadNext step
Ready for a tail-wagging day?
Book online in a few taps, send the customer inquiry, or come see the facility for yourself. Every dog starts with a free evaluation. No evaluation needed for grooming.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
