Enjoying your Dog on BHI
There is a dog park located at 230 N. Bald Head Wynd.
The Village of Bald Head Island (click HERE for website) has a Village Code of Ordinances in which Chapter 4 is about animals. The link to the Ordinance is on the Village Website at the bottom or click here to go to that link. In the top of the window you will find a search bar where you may enter Dogs and it will take you to that specific section.
An excerpt from the Village of BHI Chapter 4 (We recommend reading the
PDF
of the entire section on pets for better understanding):
ARTICLE XVII.
UNRESTRAINED DOGS
BookmarkSec. 4-520. Definitions
Leash means a physical tether not to exceed ten feet in length, one end of which is attached to a dog and the other is held by the dog's owner or custodian and by which such owner or custodian is physically capable of controlling the dog.
Owner means any person owning, keeping, or harboring a dog or cat. The head of the household shall be presumed to be the owner of any dog or cat kept or harbored by any person residing in the household.
Turtle season means that period of time from May 1 through November 15 of each year.
Unrestrained dog means any dog which is not:
(1) Under the immediate control of its owner;
(2) Within the limits and boundaries of the private property on which its owner or any person authorized by the owner to keep the animal shall reside; or
(3) On or in any vehicle being operated or parked upon any public or private street and physically confined within the vehicle so as to prevent exit therefrom.
(Ord. No. 2009-0901, 9-18-2009)
BookmarkSec. 4-521. Unrestrained Dogs Prohibited
(a) It shall be unlawful for any owner to maintain an unrestrained dog within the confines of the village, whether by intentional or negligent act or omission of the owner.(b) From sunset to sunrise of every day during turtle season, any dog on any beach must be physically restrained by a leash.
(c) The owner or custodian of any dog or cat that excretes any feces on public property, including the beach strand, or on private property without the consent of the owner or person in lawful possession thereof shall immediately remove such feces deposited by such animal and dispose of the feces in an appropriate manner.
(d) Any violations of this article shall be deemed a civil violation, punishable by a civil fine pursuant to article VII of this chapter. To the extent article VII does not apply to a violation of this article, the violation shall be punishable by a civil fine of $50.00. In addition, a violation of this section shall be punishable pursuant to G.S. 14-4 as a class 3 misdemeanor with a fine that shall not exceed $500.00 in the discretion of the court.
(Ord. No. 2009-0901, 9-18-2009)
BookmarkSec. 4-4. Nuisance Pets
(a) Nuisance pets are defined as dogs, or other domesticated animals, present on Bald Head Island:
(1) Who are permitted by owners to roam off the owners' premises, not accompanied by a responsible person. (This does not include a pet that is previously reported as "lost" and is being searched for);
(2) Who chase, snap at, or otherwise harass pedestrians, bicyclists, or vehicle drivers;
(3) Who damage or destroy property of another person;
(4) Who obtain entrance to outside garbage enclosures and scatter their contents;
(5) Who regularly harass other wildlife or pets on Bald Head Island; or
(6) Who engage in prolonged noisemaking.
(b) Regulations and remedies herein are cumulative and not exclusive of those of other laws or regulations.
(c) A written and signed complaint statement is required to be submitted to the department of public safety by the reporting party within ten days of the incident; and the opportunity for a written reply would be accorded to the pet owner before a pet is determined to be a "nuisance pet" by the Bald Head Island department of public safety.
(d) The village department of public safety is authorized to issue warnings or appropriate fines to owners of nuisance pets dependent upon the frequency of filed complaint. Civil fines, if issued, will be $100.00 for first offense, increasing in $50.00 increments for each subsequent offense within a 12-month period of the most recent offense.
(Ord. No. 2009-0504, 5-15-2009; Ord. No. 2013-0501, 5-17-2013)