To meet increasing demand, Raleigh City Council has given approvalto create additional off-leash dog areas. The City’s first off-leash area is located at Millbrook Exchange Community Park on Spring Forest Road and was opened in the summer of 2003. The second area was opened in the spring of 2006 at Oakwood Neighborhood Park at 910 Brookside Drive. Raleigh's third area was opened at Carolina Pines Community Park, 2305 Lake Wheeler Road in October 2007. Oakwood and Carolina Pines are both daylight-only facilities; Millbrook has lights and is open until approximately 10 PM.
The existing parks are a cooperative venture between the City of Raleigh and organized neighborhood advocacy groups. Working with People for Unleashed Parks (PUP), the City amended the master plan for Millbrook Exchange Park to include the off-leash dog area and amended the code of ordinances to allow dogs to be off-leash within the confines of a designated dog exercise area. The City still requires that all dogs be restrained by a leash on all other public properties within City limits. All facilities are double-gated to prevent dogs from wandering off.
Future off-leash areas in City of Raleigh parks will follow the model of the Millbrook project and will be spaced around the City. The recommendation of the Parks, Recreation and Greenway Advisory Board (PRGAB; the report is linked below), accepted by the Raleigh City Council in April 2005 includes no entrance fees, daylight operation, owner’s responsibility for their pets behavior and requires volunteer support for construction and operation, including cleaning of the facility.
For More Information Contact:
David Shouse
Senior Parks Planner
Parks and Recreation Department
333 Fayetteville Street, Suite 300
Raleigh, NC 27601
919-996-4788
