06/16/2022
Pet Safety at the Beach
The beach can be fun and rewarding for both pets and their owners. The towns and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore have their own restrictions pertaining to pets. Please be courteous and clean up after your pet. All pet waste must be collected immediately and deposited in appropriate containers.
To view leash laws on the Outer Banks, please visit
www.darenc.com/leashlaws
To keep your dog safe, avoid the dog beach at the hottest parts of the day, and provide your pup with plenty of access to shade and fresh, cool water. Try to keep activity to a minimum. Sure, you can play fetch with your dog—just make sure they have plenty of time to rest, get out of the sun and drink water in between games.
Ingesting a small amount of sea water won’t do any harm as long as dogs have access to fresh water, but if they swallow enough seawater, they can become seriously dehydrated. Signs include vomiting; thick, ropy saliva; and dry, tacky gums.
Nags Head
Dogs are allowed on the beach year-round as long as they are restrained by a leash not exceeding 10 feet. Owners must clean up after their dogs. Anyone who violates the leash law is subject to a criminal and/or civil penalty.
Each town in Dare County has their own leash law.