Duke Gardens’ New Policy Allows Dogs During Limited Hours
Dogs can be walked in the Gardens before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m.
Dogs are now welcome before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m. in Sarah P. Duke Gardens on Duke University's campus.
People walking their dogs in the gardens must use non-retractable leashes 6 feet or shorter, keep the dogs out of plant beds, and clean up after the dogs. All other pets remain prohibited. Duke Gardens reserves the right to refuse entry or remove any dog thought to be dangerous to visitors or other dogs. The gardens’ revised pet policy is posted at http://gardens.duke.edu/dogs.
The dog-walking hours are subject to change if a special event or other circumstances require it. In those instances, Duke Gardens will post the schedule variation at http://gardens.duke.edu/dogs.
The Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden and the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, two specialized gardens within Duke Gardens, have always been off-limits to all pets. They will remain so, in addition to other posted no-pets areas, including all Duke Gardens buildings.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the new policy will not apply to service dogs trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.
Duke Gardens had announced a no-pets policy last fall, to take effect Jan. 1 and exclude only service dogs. But after further discussions with Duke administrators and members of the Duke and Durham communities who are passionate about both Duke Gardens and their dogs, Duke Gardens augmented its policy.
No-pets policies have long been standard in botanic gardens nationwide, but Duke Gardens had been a rare exception since it opened in 1939. However, with the growth of the university and Durham, as well as the expansion of Duke Gardens' award-winning specialized collections, it has become more challenging to protect the plants and wildlife while also providing the best experience possible to visitors, says Bill LeFevre, the gardens' executive director.
Duke welcomes dog-walkers at many alternative locations on campus, including the East Campus perimeter trail; the Al Buehler Cross-Country Trail at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Course; the Duke Reclamation Pond; and the many sidewalks throughout East and West campuses.