Eagle (670 KBOI News) – Pet lovers, listen up…next time you head to Eagle Island State Park, remember to keep Fido and Fifi out of the lake.

The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation is banning pets from the lake, citing diseases like e-coli, that are often spread by pet feces…says spokeswoman Jennifer Oakerlund.

“With so many people turning to these bodies of water to stay cool in the summer, we just have to restrict pets from those areas as well,” said Oakerlund.  “Because of the harmful bacteria they can introduce on their paws and fur.”

She says pets are still welcome in the park, and in fact there are all sorts of on-and off-leash areas of the parks specifically designed for pets and their owners.

She says there are even a couple of river access points where you can let Fido get wet…just wait ’til the river flow returns to normal.