Flaherty Dog Park is Wake Forest's free off-leash park, open dawn to dusk. Everywhere else, Wake County's leash law applies, with a $100 fine.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Facts come from the Town of Wake Forest’s dog park and park rules pages and its January 2026 leash law notice.

Wake Forest’s one off-leash spot is Flaherty Dog Park, 1100 N. White St., free and open dawn to dusk. Everywhere else in town, including parks and greenways, dogs must be on a leash under Wake County’s animal control ordinance, and a first offense for a dog at large costs $100.

Who to call

  • Loose or dangerous dogs: Wake County Animal Control, 919-856-6911
  • Dog park questions: Wake Forest Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, 919-435-9560 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
  • Emergencies: 911

The leash law

Wake Forest has no dog ordinance of its own; Wake County Animal Control enforces the county’s rules inside town limits and in the town’s parks, the town says. The two lines that matter, quoted by the town from the Wake County Animal Control Ordinance:

  • Section 91.07 (A): “It shall be unlawful for any owner to permit an animal to be at large.”
  • Section 91.07 (C): no one may take a dog into “any public park without being at all times under the restraint of a leash unless said park is designated as a dog park.”

The penalty for letting an animal run at large is a $100 civil penalty for a first violation. The town says it regularly gets complaints about loose dogs in parks and on greenways.

Flaherty Dog Park

About two acres next to the Flaherty Park baseball and softball fields, with a 5-foot chain-link fence, double-gated self-closing entries, grass, picnic tables, water stations, a fully accessible shade structure and a fountain with a pet bowl and jug filler. The large dog area reopened March 3, 2026, after new fencing and drainage.

Rules, from the town’s rules of conduct:

  • Dogs need a collar with current rabies and ID tags and all required shots, and must be at least 6 months old. No dogs in heat.
  • Use a leash of 6 feet or less going in and coming out; inside, keep your dog in sight and under voice control. Remove any dog that shows aggression.
  • Pick up all waste. Fill any hole your dog digs.
  • No food, treats or bones inside the fence; no strollers, bikes or wagons (wheelchairs are fine).
  • Children under 12 need an adult.
  • Closures: about 30 minutes on weekday mornings between 8 and 10 a.m. for cleaning, and Monday mornings in mowing season, usually reopening by noon.

Walking with your dog

All town parks and greenways welcome leashed dogs, and every park has pet waste stations, the town’s park rules say. Good places to start:

  • E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road: 3 miles of paved trails. The town reminds visitors that unleashed pets are prohibited there.
  • Smith Creek Greenway to the Neuse River Greenway Trail, paved, from Burlington Mills Road.
  • Wake Forest Reservoir soft trail, a natural-surface trail on the west side of the reservoir.

Distances and trailheads are on our walking and biking trails guide. Keep to the right, and yield to walkers if you are on a bike.

Downtown with a dog

EarthWise Pet, 416 S. White St., sells food and supplies, and the town’s family fun itinerary suggests a stop there.

Patios: we list a patio as dog-friendly only when the restaurant or brewery says so on its own website, and none in Wake Forest did when we checked. Ask before you sit down. Venue owners can send us your pet policy.

Where dogs cannot go

  • Holding Park Aquatic Center: no pets.
  • Spirits of Wake Forest ghost walks: organizers ask that pets stay home.
  • Hill Ridge Farms in Youngsville: no pets at its fall festival.
  • Six Sundays in Spring at Joyner Park: no unleashed pets.

Related: parks and trails, free things to do and kids’ activities.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a dog park in Wake Forest?

Yes. Flaherty Dog Park, 1100 N. White St., is a free, fenced off-leash park of about two acres beside the Flaherty Park ball fields, open dawn to dusk.

Do dogs have to be on a leash in Wake Forest parks?

Yes. Wake Forest has no dog ordinance of its own, but Wake County’s animal control ordinance applies in town: dogs must be leashed in public parks unless the park is a designated dog park. Letting a dog run at large carries a $100 civil penalty for a first violation.

Are dogs allowed on Wake Forest greenways?

Yes, on a leash. The town’s park rules say pets must be leashed and their waste picked up, and the town says it gets regular complaints about loose dogs on greenways.

Who do I call about a loose dog in Wake Forest?

Call Wake County Animal Control at 919-856-6911. In an emergency, call 911.

What are the rules at Flaherty Dog Park?

Dogs must be at least 6 months old, vaccinated and wearing rabies and ID tags, on a leash of 6 feet or less going in and out, and under voice control. No food, treats, strollers or dogs in heat.