The Town of Kiawah Island’s Environmental Committee has been discussing potential changes to beach pet restrictions since February. These discussions included several meetings of a Pet Restraint subcommittee, consisting of Town staff and property owner representatives. The purpose of the proposed changes to the existing beach pet ordinance is to provide additional protection to nesting shorebirds and the thousands of migratory shorebirds that feed and rest on Kiawah's beaches annually.
The Environmental Committee will host a public meeting to discuss the proposed changes at Town Hall on Monday, Oct. 21, at 9 a.m. Attendees will receive details on the proposed changes and have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will be livestreamed on the Town's YouTube channel.
Get Involved
In addition to the Oct. 21 public meeting, there will be additional opportunities for the community to provide input to the Town, which include:
- An online public comment form which will be available on Friday, Oct. 25 on the Town’s website. All property owners are invited to respond. The public comment form will close on Friday, Nov. 1.
- The next Environmental Committee meeting is on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. at Town Hall. The public will have another opportunity to provide feedback.
Reasons for the Proposed Changes
- The presence of large numbers of Red Knots (recently listed as Federally Threatened) on our beach generally begins around March 1. Red Knots are long distance migrants and disturbance by pets can have a significant detrimental impact on their survival. Approximately 40% of the entire eastern population of Red Knots relies on the Kiawah beach to rest and refuel during spring migration. Read more about Kiawah’s critical role in protecting Red Knots in a scientific paper available here.
- The buildup of dunes and dry sand in the eastern portion of the current Dog Use area, the subsequent nesting activities in these areas by shorebirds, and the loss of significant amounts of nesting habitat east of the Ocean Course Clubhouse.
- Nesting shorebirds are extremely vulnerable to disturbance that can lead to nest abandonment and failure. Shorebirds exhibit different flight responses to dogs compared to humans. When dogs approach, especially off-leash or running, shorebirds perceive a greater threat, leading to rapid takeoff and distancing from the area. Read scientific studies here: Literature Review, Study 1, Study 2, and Study 3.
Summary of Proposed Changes
Sec.16-502 Restraint on the beach and dunes.
- Shorten Seasonal Dog Use area off leash period by 15 days.
- Add maximum length of leash to 16 feet.
- Add a requirement that pets must be on leash adjacent to Suitable Nesting Habitat when signs are present (typically between April 1 and July 1).
Sec. 16-605 Signage
1. Removed the language defining the types of signs to be used.
The community is encouraged to participate in the upcoming engagement opportunities listed above to learn more and provide feedback.
