Western North Carolina Sierra Club (WENOCA) is seeking your support and endorsement.

Position on dog leash and dog waste laws, rules and regulations enforcement.

As the population of visitors and full-time residents in Western North Carolina grows, conservation areas and public lands experience exceptionally high levels of foot traffic.  Many people visiting protected areas like to bring their canine companions with them to the trail, water ways, and picnic areas.  This increase in foot traffic places great pressure on the overall condition of protected areas and trails, and threatens wildlife, flora and stream-health.  When dogs are unleashed, the impact problems associated with record-numbers of people and dogs are amplified.  

There are many issues associated with unleashed dogs on trails, such as dog fights; frightened, injured, or killed wildlife; damaged plants and wildflowers (including rare and endangered species); hikers who are threatened, bitten, or pushed over by unrestrained dogs; and stream pollution caused by dog feces left on the  trail. It is increasingly common to see plastic bags of dog feces littering trails. 

In September 2021, an unleashed dog barked and aggressively approached a bear near the Folk Art Center. While attempting to retrieve their dog, the dog’s owners were injured by the bear. Although the bear was never found, the plan was that if officials had been able to capture and identify the bear, it would have been euthanized. This entire tragedy may have been avoided if the dog had been leashed and under the owners’ control. 

Certain areas, including the Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GSMNP), do not permit dogs on trails, citing many of the issues outlined above. Most local, state and federal protected areas do allow leashed dogs on trails. These areas typically require owners to keep their dog on a non-retractable leash no longer than 6 feet, and to remove dog feces from the trail and protected areas. These rules are often ignored and/or are not enforced. 

The public must be better educated regarding dog leash and feces removal laws. Local, state, and federal land organizations should prominently post dog leash rules and fines on their websites, social-media, and other informational material. Dog leash rules should be displayed in visitor centers, at trailheads, and on all trailhead informational-kiosk signs. When the laws are violated, fines should be vigorously levied. To this effort, WNC Sierra Club (WENOCA) supports fully funding state and federal local agencies charged with managing the impact to our public lands, so they can hire sufficient staff to monitor and enforce rules and laws.

As responsible individuals, we need to be conscious of how our presence on trails and protected areas impacts the environment.  As part of that awareness, we must leash our dogs when we take them with us on trails, and remove dog feces from protected areas. 
Western North Carolina Sierra Club (WENOCA)

        If you have questions, or you wish to sign on to this position statement, please contact Diane Bauknight at (828) 650-0830 or email to dbauknight@gmail.com