Pictured is the cover of a brochure educating dog owners about the dangers of harmful algal blooms. The brochure is available at Long Point on Lake Chautauqua State Park and online.

New York Sea Grant and New York State Parks are partnering to educate dog owners this summer by providing copies of the Dogs and Harmful Algal Blooms fact sheet and brochure developed by New York Sea Grant at several state parks.

Harmful algal blooms are a result of toxins produced by some cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae. When cyanobacteria blooms produce toxin, harmful algal blooms can impact liver function, disrupt the nervous system, and cause skin irritation in humans, pets, waterfowl and livestock.

The harmful algal blooms information resources are being well-received by pet owners, according to park officials at Allegany, Bowman Lake, Delta Lake, Gilbert Lake, Long Point on Lake Chautauqua, Point Au Roche on Lake Champlain, Oquaga Creek, Sampson, Southwick, Verona Beach on Oneida Lake and Westcott Beach State Parks.

Dogs can be particularly susceptible to the effects of harmful algal blooms because of their behavior, sometimes drinking water from ponds, lakes, and streams; cleaning their wet fur; and consuming algal mats or scum with attractive odors, said Jesse Lepak, NY Sea Grant fisheries and ecosystem health specialist.

The Dogs and Harmful Algal Blooms fact sheet and brochure includes information about harmful algal blooms, when they are most likely to occur, what they look like, how to know if toxins are present, possible signs of cyanobacterial poisoning in dogs, how to reduce risk to dogs, how to report a possible harmful algal bloom in New York state and information about the 24-Hour Pet Poison Hotline.

Digital versions of the harmful algal blooms resources are online at www.nyseagrant.org/habs. The site also includes a link to state Department of Environmental Conservation monitoring for sites at risk for harmful algal blooms.