A week after the Wrightsville Beach dog ordinance permitted leashed dogs back onto the beach, town officials are considering stricter enforcement.
Town manager Tim Owens said a trickle of complaints necessitated the decision.
“I’ve gotten a few emails about folks not carrying bags for waste, not cleaning up after their pets or not having them on a leash. So we’ll step up enforcement and make sure folks do abide by the rules,” Owens said during an Oct. 7 phone interview.
No pets are allowed on the beach strand April 1 through Sept. 30. When dogs are welcomed back to the beach strand Oct. 1, owners must follow the same rules applicable for all pets within town limits, including walkers on the loop: pets must be leashed and owners must pick up and properly dispose of all pet waste.
The dog ordinance has been enforced since 1978, when all public land on the island was designated a bird sanctuary.
Park ranger Shannon Slocum, who enforces town ordinances in the town and on the beach year-round, said the rules stem from health and safety issues. Pet waste left on the beach strand, on parklands and along roadways poses a water quality threat, Slocum said. Public safety is also a concern, since loose dogs can attack others or cause them to trip and injure themselves.
Owens said the town might need a heavier law-enforcement presence on the beach strand during early mornings and evenings, when many dog owners come out to enjoy the beach with their dogs.
“We’ll be paying particular attention during those hours,” Owens said.
Pet owners caught violating the rules face fines ranging from $250 to $1,000.
“If you don’t have your little bag, and if you let it off the leash, it can accumulate,” Owens said.
Slocum said he has little tolerance for common-sense issues like the dog ordinance.
“The way I run the beach during the off-season is that every dog’s on a leash and everyone has to pick up behind the dogs. If they don’t like the rules here on the beach, they can go somewhere else,” Slocum said.
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