Pets in Parks
Pets in Parks
Do your pets a favour....Leave them at home, or a boarding kennel near the parks you are proposing to visit.
The Parks and Reseves of the Northern Territory are set aside as conservation and recreation areas for you to enjoy and for native animals to live in safety.
To keep our parks as great places for people and native animals, pets are generally not permitted in Northern Territory Parks and Reserves.
Rules concerning the taking of pets into Northern Territory Parks and Reserves have become necessary because:
- dogs and cats are hunters by nature and will kill native birds and animals if given a chance;
- barking dogs scare native animals and annoy visitors;
- pets can foul picnic areas, creating a health hazard.
Pets in Parks Policy (pdf 107Kb)
Pets in Parks information sheet (pdf 840Kb)
Exception to the rules
There are some recreation parks where designated areas have been set aside for you to walk your dog on a leash. It is your responsibility to check signs or find out from the Park Ranger where these designated areas are within the Park or Reserve. Parks with designated areas are:
Darwin Region
- George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens
- Casuarina Coastal Reserve
- Holmes Jungle Nature Park
- Leaning Tree Lagoon Nature Park
- Mary River Crossing
- Oolloo Crossing
Katherine Region
- Judbarra / Gregory National Park
- Victoria River Depot Historical Reserve
Tennant Creek - Alice Springs Region
- Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve
- Attack Creek Historical Reserve
- Central Mt Stuart Historical Reserve
- Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve
- Heavitree Gap Police Station Historical Reserve
- Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve
- John Flynn’s Grave Historical Reserve
- John Flynn Historical Reserveve
- Junction Reserve
- Owen Springs Reserve
- Ryan Well Historical Reserve
- Tennant Creek Telegraph Station
- Watarrka National Park
Park visitors found to be in breach of these regulations are subject to on-the-spot fines.
Seeing and hearing guide dogs are permitted in all Parks. They must, however, be held on a leash by the owner at all times.
Dogs may be used during the hunting season in Northern Territory Hunting Reserves. However you must obtain a permit (pdf 66Kb) from the Parks and Wildlife Service first then keep all dogs on a leash when not hunting.
The three designated hunting reserves are:
- Harrison Dam
- Howard Springs Hunting Reserve
- Lambells Lagoon
Before you visit Northern Territory Parks and Reserves, check with your local Parks and Wildlife Service of the Northern Territory office.
You'll avoid inconvenience and stress to your animals if you do your pet a favour, and leave them at home or in a boarding kennel.
Separate rules apply for taking horses, donkeys, mules and camels (or any other animals) into Northern Territory parks and reserves. Please contact us for further information.