About PIDO
Point Isabel Dog Owners & Friends (PIDO) is a nonprofit organization run entirely by volunteers. Since 1985, we have worked to keep Point Isabel multi-use, clean, safe, and available for off-leash recreational dog walking. Please join PIDO and consider making a contribution to help us ensure that Point Isabel continues to be a wonderful place to walk dogs off-leash.
PIDO’s Role in Protecting Off-Leash Access
From 1985 to 1987, PIDO worked closely with the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) to create the Point Isabel Exception to EBRPD’s Ordinance 38, the rules that govern many aspects of the District’s 73 parks. While Ordinance 38 generally requires dogs to be on leash on paved trails and in developed areas such as cafés, Point Isabel allows dogs in these areas as long as they are under voice control.
Without PIDO, off-leash recreation at Point Isabel would not exist today. In 1985, EBRPD revoked off-leash dog walking privileges at the park. In response, PIDO formed and spent two years negotiating with EBRPD to establish the dog rules that restored off-leash recreation in 1987—rules that remain in place today.
PIDO also helped protect off-leash access in the early 2000s. When continued off-leash recreation at North Point Isabel (the area north of the bridge) was threatened, PIDO organized community support and gathered 20,000 signatures, persuading planners of Eastshore State Park to preserve off-leash dog walking.
What we do
Members
PIDO formed in 1985 with about 75 members. We incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2000. We currently have approximately 7,700 members.
PIDO works to preserve off-leash recreation at Point Isabel. We emphasize the benefits of shared, multi-use recreation and educate park visitors about dog walking rules and etiquette, protecting wildlife, and park district news and rules.
We publish a newsletter, The PIDO Pointer, three times a year and send regular updates via email and social media platforms to our members.
We maintain two bulletin boards (one at each end of the park) with info and brochures for park visitors.
We maintain this website and aFacebook group page for our members and the public.
We hold montly cleanups and host annual special events that are open to the public (and either free or for a nominal fee), such as:
Barktoberfest dog costume contest and parade
Earth Day volunteer work party (weeding, tree mulching)
Easter egg hunt (for children, who exchange plastic eggs for treats)
American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen testing
Off-Leash Skills training and refresher courses.
Dogs and their handlers dress up for Pt. Isabel annual Barktoberfest Halloween parade
PIDO has worked hard to keep Point Isabel clean, safe, and, most importantly, off-leash for more than 40 years…
Over the years, PIDO has contributed more than $50,000 to East Bay Regional Park District's Regional Parks Foundation toward the purchase of MuttMitt® bags. (Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we have been able to contribute $2,000 most years. When park visitor numbers soared during the pandemic in 2020, we were grateful to be able to bump that up to $6,000 in support of the park district.)
Executive Board
Officers
Diane Livoti, Chair
Terry Roy, Secretary
Mary Barnsdale, Acting Treasurer
PIDO’s Board of Directors typically meets monthly on the third Thursday except in August and December. See meeting schedule, location and online access here.
General inquiries: info@pido.org or 510-426-5129
