Pets in the Park

Pets are some of our favorite visitors at Ozark National Scenic Riverways. They just need to follow some common sense rules (along with their owners). Read our rules and recommendations below to ensure a safe and stress-free visit!

NPS Photo / Kevin Tarbet / Sydney Curnes

 

 

General Pet Regulations

Dogs are welcome in most outdoor areas where humans can go. While out in the park, pets and their owners just have to follow some basic guidelines.

Leashes

Dogs must remain on a 6 foot leash or tether, unless they are in a vessel floating on the water.

Dogs are only allowed off-leash when actively engaged in legal hunting activities and in accordance with state laws.

Unattended Pets

No pet shall be left unattended for more than two hours in any campground.

Springs and Caves

Just like humans, pets are prohibited from entering springs, spring branches, and caves within the park.

Visitor Centers and Other Buildings

For the enjoyment and safety of other visitors, pets are not allowed inside federal buildings. This includes Alley Mill and other historic buildings within the park. 

Trained service animals are exempt from this rule. National Park Service policy defines a service animal as an animal that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Emotional support animals do not qualify under these standards.

Horse Trails

Dogs are not allowed on designated horse trails. This is for the safety of both dogs and horses.

Behavior and Aggression

Aggressive or disruptive behaviors, including excessive barking, are not welcome in the park. Dogs exhibiting these behaviors may be asked to leave.

Waste Disposal

Pet excrement must be immediately collected and disposed of in a proper trash receptacle. This applies to every part of the park, including campsites. Improper disposal of waste can spread disease or parasites to local wildlife. Help us protect the riverways by cleaning up after your pet.

Wildlife

Pets can not chase or threaten wildlife in the park. Owners must maintain control of their pet at all times.

Hunting Dogs

For information on the legal use of hunting dogs within the park, visit our hunting regulations page.

Know Your Pet

Be aware of your pets behavior and preferences. If your pet is easily upset or overstimulated by new experiences, busy areas would not be best for them. If they act aggressively with other people or animals, consider letting them stay at home.

 

Service dogs are certified, trained animals who assist a person with a disability.

Adobe Stock / SasaStock

Service Animals

Unlike pets, service animals are welcome in park-owned buildings (that are open to the public). These must be working animals who are specifically trained to provide aid to a person with a disability: National Park Service policy defines a service animal as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.

What about emotional support animals?

Animals whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The presence of these animals provides a calming effect for their owners, but they must follow the same rules as any other pet.

 

Know your pet! While some dogs love sleeping in the great outdoors, some do not. If your dog is overstimulated or anxious around other people, they might not enjoy camping.

Image courtesy of Ann Marischen.

Camping with Pets

While some pets love camping outdoors, not every animal is comfortable with the experience. Unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells can excite (or frighten) even the best-trained dogs.

So, while in a camping area, all guidelines still apply as normal. This is for the safety of both visitors and pets within the campground.

• Pets must be on a 6-foot leash or tether, even at the owner's campsite.
• Pets may not be left unattended at any time, regardless of whether they are contained or tethered.
• Excrement must be cleaned up and disposed immediately.
• Excessive barking or noise is not acceptable.

 

Remember the B.A.R.K. principles while hiking with your pet!

NPS Photo

Hiking with your Pet

Pets are welcome on almost all trails, apart from horse trails. Most dogs love hiking through the hills of the Ozarks. However, extra precaution is needed to protect both pets and wildlife.

Dogs must remain on a 6-foot leash, even when the area seems empty. There are often unseen threats to your pet's health and safety:

• Other animals, such as bears or venomous snakes.
• Poisonous plants and substances.
• Dangerous terrain.
• Other visitors and pets who could appear suddenly.

Pets can easily become injured, exhausted, or lost, especially in an unfamiliar environment. Each year, thousands of pets go missing in parks. Without microchips or tags, there is an 85% chance that a lost dog will not be returned to its owner. With that statistic in mind, always maintain control of your pet.

 

Do not tie or lash pets while on the river! The leash could easily get tangled or caught, which is potentially fatal.

NPS Photo

Floating with your Pet

Just like with people, the Current and Jacks Fork rivers can be popular with pets. Visitors will often bring their dogs to ride on a raft or canoe.

For their safety, pets cannot be tied or tethered while on the water. Otherwise, the rules are mostly the same:

• Pets cannot be tied or lashed while floating on the river.

• However, pets must be on a leash as soon as they are back on land or stopped on the river’s edge.

• Remember that pets are prohibited from entering springs, spring branches, and caves within the park. They may only swim in the main river channel.

• Any waste must be carried out and disposed of in a proper receptacle.

• Owners must prevent their pets from chasing wildlife, even while on the water.

 

Visit a ranger station to take the B.A.R.K. Ranger oath! Participants will earn a one-of-a-kind metal B.A.R.K. Ranger tag.

NPS Photo

Take the B.A.R.K. Ranger Oath

National parks are exciting places for pets to visit with their family. Sometimes these new places can be so exciting as to be overstimulating! Take time to learn the B.A.R.K. principles, so you and your pet can have a safe, fun visit anytime you go to a national park. This program is part of the Healthy People Healthy Parks Initiative.

B.A.R.K. stands for:

• Bag your pet’s waste.
• Always leash your pet.
• Respect wildlife.
• Know where you can go.

 

Visit the National Park Service Pets Page to learn about other opportunities you and your dog can embark upon in other National Parks!