(WJET/WFXP)– Dog owners hoping to take their pups for a swim this weekend will want to keep an eye out for advisories, with several algae swimming warnings being issued for dogs and swimming closed for everyone at a North East location.
Harmful algal bloom warnings for dogs have been issued for 14 locations around Erie County by the Department of Health, while swimming is restricted at the Eaton Reservoir in North East as of August 13.
Beach 11 closed to swimming for rest of the season marking third straight year
Some of the other notable locations with HAB advisories for dogs include Avonia Beach in Fairview, Shades Beach in Harborcreek, Freeport Beach and 20 Mile Creek in North East, along with Beach 2 on Presque Isle.
According to the DOH, a dog’s threshold to tolerate harmful algal blooms (HAB) is much lower than for humans, as they tend to ingest more water when they swim, lick themselves when wet and have a tendency to eat algal mats.
Concerns for Lake Erie’s water quality spark following closure of Beach 11
Because of this, dogs are more susceptible to receiving a higher dose of toxins than people. This is also why it is recommended to wash your dog off as soon as possible after exiting the water…