Peninsula DOG was founded to provide a voice for dog owners living on the San Francisco Bay Area Peninsula.

We are a group of Bay Area Peninsula residents concerned about the limited number of on and off-leash dog trails in San Mateo County. We formed Peninsula DOG in the spring of 2019 to represent the interests of dog owners on the Peninsula.

Our Mission

We are a group of concerned dog enthusiasts who advocate for increased dog access to parks, trails, and open spaces on the Peninsula. We seek to inform and influence politicians and the political process, promoting fair access for responsible dog owners and their families.

We have six goals:

  1. Preserve existing dog-friendly parks and open spaces
  2. Expand on and off-leash dog access on the Peninsula
  3. Elect dog-friendly politicians
  4. Promote responsible dog ownership
  5. Support and celebrate local dog-friendly businesses
  6. Coordinate and collaborate with other Bay Area dog advocacy groups

Our Vision

We seek to expand access to more on leash and off-leash dog areas on the Peninsula. 

Our goal is to expand the definition of multi-use trails to include dog access. 

We envision multi-use trails where all users happily coexist and enjoy our natural resources together.

Meet Our Team

Today our team consists of a dedicated group of volunteers who organize recruiting events, develop the messaging for the website and social media, network with local organizations, advocate with local city and county government representatives, survey politicians about their positions on dog issues, and plan our organization.

Our dogs give us inspiration everyday in our work for Peninsula DOG. We have a growing mailing list and are always seeking new volunteers to join our team. Don’t be shy! Reach out to us by volunteering.

Amy

Co-Founder

Amy has lived in the Bay Area for many years. After a career in strategic marketing, Amy changed paths to work on social causes, specifically sustainability and climate change. She volunteered for several non-profits and co-founded Peninsula DOG. Amy wants to grow the number of trails on the Peninsula that are open to dogs. 

Summit

Support Staff

Donner Summit (“Summit”) is an eight year-old golden retriever. Summit was named after the area in Lake Tahoe he loves to hike and the desire of his humans to “summit” trails with him on their walks. His passion is to launch himself into any wet pond or lake before getting into the car for a smelly ride home. 

Jana

Director of Marketing & Communications

A long time resident of the Bay Area, Jana got involved with Peninsula DOG in early 2022 and has been leading the team’s marketing and communication efforts since. You are most likely to bump into her and her dog Rawley on their daily walks at their favorite off-leash spots, Stulsaft Park and Pulgas Ridge, or at a local beach. 

Leo

Support Staff

Leo is a six year-old Australian shepherd. Aside from being adorable and getting along with nearly every living thing, he loves the beach, playing fetch, tug of war and any squeaky toy or ball. His favorite places are Stulsaft Park and Pillar Point Beach, and playing with Stanford students on campus who miss their family dogs.  

Matt

Co-Founder & Political Advocate

Matt has lived in Redwood City for over 30 years, most of that time with a dog. Shocked by the lack of local, dog-friendly places, he began advocating for more on and off-leash dog access. He’s been active in local politics – as a chief of staff for a San Mateo County supervisor, a Redwood City Parks, Recreation & Community Services commissioner, and a campaign manager for local politicians.  

Rawley

Support Staff

Rawley is a male Aussiedoodle and was born in March 2017. Even though he is also known as “Big Dog” or “Black Bear”, he has the sweetest and gentlest demeanor. His favorite things in the world are being with his human family, squeaky chuck-it balls and loooong off-leash hikes.  

Janet

Co-Founder & Annual Pet Food Drive Chair
Janet has been a Bay Area resident since 1991 and currently lives in Menlo Park. She helped start Peninsula DOG to preserve what little off-leash dog access exists on the Peninsula and to seek out more parks and trails for dog access. She is currently focusing on preserving access to Pillar Point beach and Stulsaft Park, and advocating for new access in the Bay Area foothills.

Mac

Support Staff
Mac was born in October 2015 and is a German shepherd, Husky, Great Pyrenees, Staffordshire terrier. Mac travels almost everywhere with his human parents Janet and Peter and is living proof that dogs are part of the family too.

Peter

Co-Founder
Peter co-founded Peninsula Dog to educate dog owners on ways to enhance both on and off leash access to trails on the Peninsula and Coastside. As a former equestrian who owns dogs, he believes mixed-use trails are viable. He is particularly interested in fair access to local trails for the vast amount of homes that have dogs.