Code of Massachusetts Regulations
302 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND RECREATION
Title 302 CMR 12.00 - Parks And Recreation Rules
Section 12.13 - Rules of Conduct on DCR Properties - Pets, Horses, and Other Domesticated Animals

(1) No person may cause or permit any pet, horse, or other domesticated animal to be unattended or to roam or be at large on DCR property.

(2) Unless in an area of DCR property designated and posted otherwise, no person may cause or permit any pet, horse, or other domesticated animal owned by him or her or in his or her custody or under his or her control to be on DCR property, unless such animal is restrained within a cage, or is bridled, or is restrained on a tether or leash no greater in length than ten feet. 302 CMR 12.13(2) shall not apply to hunting; the training of hunting dogs; the act of dog sledding; the training of sled dogs; or the training of search dogs.

(3) In designated areas where dogs are allowed off-leash, the owner or keeper must accompany the dog with leash in hand and maintain effective control of the dog through voice control or electronic training collar or in a manner directed by a law enforcement officer, DCR ranger or other DCR personnel.

(4) Pets, horses, and other domesticated animals are not allowed on coastal beaches or in designated swimming areas of inland beaches from May 1st through September 15th each year, unless otherwise posted.

(5) A person may not allow any pet, horse, or other domesticated animal under his or her control to interfere with any other person's enjoyment of DCR property, but a person's enjoyment of DCR property is not interfered with merely by another person's interacting with an animal under his or her control in a customary manner for such animal.

(6) DCR personnel may direct that a pet, horse, or other domesticated animal be removed from DCR property by the animal's owner or handler. Failure to abide by such direction may subject the owner or animal to eviction or banning from the DCR property, and may subject the owner or handler to a fine.

(7) Any pet or other domesticated animal required by law to have a rabies vaccination must have proof of the vaccination.

(8) A pet, horse, or other domesticated animal may not be hitched or tied to a fence, flagpole, tree, bush, shrub, or any other DCR property, object or structure unless designated otherwise.

(9) When accompanying persons with medical or service needs, and when acting within their service capacity, service and medical support animals are allowed access to DCR property where pets, horses or other domesticated animals are otherwise prohibited.

(10) Pets, horses, and other domesticated animals are not allowed in DCR camping structures, or on sites where those structures are located.

(11) All persons who bring pets onto DCR property shall properly remove and dispose of the pets' feces.

(12) No person may feed wild animals, birds or fish including, but not limited to, geese, waterfowl, bears, raccoons, or other wild animals.

(13) No person may release any animal on any DCR property without prior authorization from the Division Director.

(14) Except when traveling in a vehicle on a DCR roadway, or while engaged in the act of dog sledding or sled dog training or while hunting or training hunting dogs where these activities are allowed, no person may have in his or her possession, care or custody more than four pets or other domesticated animals on any DCR property at any one time without a special use permit issued in accordance with 302 CMR 12.17(2), or a commercial dog walking permit issued in accordance with 302 CMR 12.17(5).

(15) No person or organization may use any DCR property for organized animal shows, events, field trials or training without obtaining a special use permit issued in accordance with 302 CMR 12.17(2).

(16) A commercial dog walker must obtain an annual permit to use DCR property, in accordance with 302 CMR 12.17(5).

(17) When engaged in commercial dog walking, a commercial dog walker must display his or her commercial dog walking permit on his or her person and, if applicable, on his or her vehicle dashboard.