PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) – Select Pennsylvania state parks are becoming more pet friendly for the upcoming camping season.
Cindy Adams Dunn, secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said 46 more campsites – including cabins – will be opening for pet owners this season.
She said most campers like to bring their dogs along for the adventure.
"The dog’s part of the family, and they don’t want to go on vacation without it," Dunn said. "I know in my family, that’s how some of my family members are. The dog goes where they go. And if the dog can’t come, they go somewhere else."
Dunn said state parks in recent years have been slowly expanding the number of campsites where pets are welcome.
She said they’re looking at increasing the number of new sites by 130 in 2022, but if you want to find a pet-friendly spot in a state park campsite or cabin for your family trip, now is the time to book it.
"They open up 11 months ahead of the scheduled time you want to come, so that means planning significantly ahead," Dunn explained. "But if you have your heart set on a certain park and a certain kind of campsite – one with pets – then I would go very early on to the reservation system and make a reservation.
"You can select to show only pet-friendly options, and then everything you see will be pet friendly."