Rehoboth Beach · Sussex County
Can dogs go on Rehoboth Beach?
Dogs are allowed on Rehoboth Beach today, with limits
Leashed dogs are allowed, EXCEPT when lifeguards are on duty. Guards are typically still working the shoulder weeks in September and again in May — confirm the guard schedule before relying on this in mid-May or late September.
Yes, from September 16 through May 14. Dogs are banned from the beach and boardwalk May 15 through September 15. The city moved these dates in January 2026 — most guides still print the old May 1 to September 30 ban.
The beach with one of the timber groins running out into the water, and a boat well out. High cloud, no crowd.
date not given
The dates
Rehoboth Beach — dog rules by season
| Where | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Beach | May 15 – September 15 | No dogs No dogs at any hour. There is no early-morning or evening exception during the closure. Leash required |
| Boardwalk | May 15 – September 15 | No dogs The boardwalk closure runs on the same dates as the beach. Leash required |
| Beach | September 16 – May 14 | Dogs allowed, with limits Leashed dogs are allowed, EXCEPT when lifeguards are on duty. Guards are typically still working the shoulder weeks in September and again in May — confirm the guard schedule before relying on this in mid-May or late September. Leash required |
| Boardwalk | September 16 – May 14 | Dogs allowed The lifeguard exception is written for the beach. Whether it also reaches the boardwalk is not settled in the published notice — treat as unconfirmed. Leash required |
Note the split: the beach and the boardwalk aren't always on the same rule today. Check both rows above.
Also true
- Leash
- Required at all times a dog is permitted.
- Cleanup
- Required. Carry bags — off-season stations are not reliably stocked.
- Public dog park in town
- None. The nearest public off-leash parks are Millsboro and Milford, both about 40 minutes out.
Why the dates you found somewhere else are wrong
Rehoboth ran its dog closure from May 1 to September 30 for years. On January 16, 2026 the commissioners re-cut the seasonal dates to match the city's parking season, moving the closure to May 15 – September 15. Rental agencies, tourism pages and blog posts are still publishing the old window. Practically, that means they will tell you dogs are banned for the second half of September when they are not, and that dogs are welcome in the first half of May when they are not. One of those errors costs you a trip; the other costs you a fine.
Where to go instead during the closure
Most guides answer the summer question with "you can't." These are the places where a dog is legal anyway.
- 01
Non-guarded and surf-fishing beaches in Delaware State Parks
Open to dogs year-round, including through the summer. Watch for discarded hooks and monofilament line — that is the tradeoff for a beach where dogs are legal in July.
Not yet first-party verified
- 02
Slaughter Beach
Leashed dogs year-round, about 40 minutes north. Horseshoe crab sanctuary — in May and June the beach is carpeted with them and dogs will eat the molts.
Not yet first-party verified
- 03
Assateague Island National Seashore
Dogs year-round on a 6-ft leash, outside lifeguarded areas. The National Seashore only — not Assateague State Park next door, which is where people get this wrong.
Not yet first-party verified
Open in Google Maps to Rehoboth Beach public beach (opens Google Maps)
About Rehoboth Beach
The biggest of the Delaware beach towns and the one most visitors mean by "the beach". A mile of boardwalk, and no public dog park anywhere in the city limits.
- Water
- Ocean
- Boardwalk
- Yes
- Parking
- Metered and permit, in season.
- County
- Sussex County
Who to call in Rehoboth Beach
City of Rehoboth Beach
229 Rehoboth Ave
Dog rules, ordinances, beach questions.
Police / 911 Center, non-emergency
Loose dog, a dispute, anything not an emergency. Confirm this is the right non-emergency line.
If something goes wrong
Delmarva Animal Emergency Center
About 1 hour1482 E Lebanon Rd, Dover, DE 19901
Hours Mon–Thu 6pm – 8am · Fri–Sun 24 hours
Not confirmed by phone — ring before you drive.
NOT 24/7 on weekdays — it opens at 6pm and closes at 8am. A Tuesday afternoon emergency is not covered here.
Pet's ER
About 1 hour402 Punkin Ct, Salisbury, MD 21804
Hours Not confirmed
Not confirmed by phone — ring before you drive.
Hours not published anywhere I can reach, and I have not rung them. It is the closest option to Fenwick and Bethany on the map, which is exactly why that blank matters — do not drive here on the strength of this listing without ringing first. Also unconfirmed: whether they take Delaware clients.
Windcrest Animal Hospital
About 1 hour 30 minutesWilmington, DE
Hours 24 hours, every day
Not confirmed by phone — ring before you drive.
A second genuine round-the-clock emergency room in Wilmington — nights, weekends and holidays. Its existence is why this page no longer says anywhere is the only 24-hour option in Delaware.
BluePearl Pet Hospital, Christiana
About 1 hour 45 minutes106 Geoffrey Dr, Newark, DE 19713
Hours 24 hours, every day
Not confirmed by phone — ring before you drive.
Genuinely 24 hours, every day, no appointment. At the top of the state, though — a long drive from the beaches. This record used to call it the only round-the-clock option in Delaware. That is no longer true.
Rehoboth Beach Animal Hospital
In town20259 Coastal Highway, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
Hours Mon–Thu 8am – 6:30pm · Fri 8am – 5:30pm · Closed Sat & Sun
Not confirmed by phone — ring before you drive.
Urgent care on weekdays, with a virtual waiting room, inside the published office hours. Closed Saturday and Sunday — which is the half of the week a beach trip is most likely to need it.
- Emergency: people
- 911
Always. Beach emergencies, injuries, anything time-critical.
- Delaware SPCA
- Not confirmed
Stray and loose-dog intake. Number not yet confirmed.
- Animal Poison Control (ASPCA)
- 888-426-4435
24 hours. A consultation fee usually applies. Useful for a swallowed bait, a bloom exposure, or anything eaten off the sand.
Hours at coastal practices move with the season and none of these numbers has been confirmed first-hand yet. Call ahead rather than driving on trust, and pick your one now — before you need it.
More photographs
First light, flat water, nobody on the sand yet.
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Just the horizon and the cloud, late in the day.
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The other towns
No two of these share a set of dates. If your trip crosses more than one, check each.
- Can dogs go on Dewey Beach? — open all year, before 9:30 am and after 5:30 pm in season
- Can dogs go on Bethany Beach? — shut May 15 – September 30
- Can dogs go on Lewes Beach? — open all year, before 8 am and after 6:30 pm in season
- Can dogs go on Fenwick Island beach? — shut May 1 – September 30
- All five, side by side
- How I check this, and what I do when I'm wrong