Pet Friendly Resources

The Brunswick County beaches are a pet-friendly paradise with miles of beaches and stunning shorelines. Your four-legged friend will enjoy accompanying you on a Holden Beach, Oak Island, Caswell Beach, and Ocean Isle Beach getaway where dog-friendly options abound. There are abundant opportunities for your dog to put their paws in the sand, feel the soothing coastal breeze blow through their fur, and wade through the cooling Atlantic waters of North Carolina’s Treasure Coast.

At PROACTIVE Vacations. we love dogs! The majority of our team at PROACTIVE Vacations are proud dog owners, and consider them part of the family (and team). See some of our Pets at the bottom of this page! It wouldn’t be unusual to see one of our furry teammates making rounds around the office on any given day. Our team has vast experience with dogs ranging from all  sizes and breeds. Many of our property owners love dogs too!

Pets and Properties

At PROACTIVE Vacations we represent properties and property owners that select a Dog Designation based on their own comfort level or allergies with allowing unknown dogs into their homes. We offer “Pet Friendly Properties”, “No Pet Properties”, and “Pet Free Properties”. Please note that the only types of pets allowed in any property (if allowed) are DOGS. Cats, birds, reptiles, fish, or any type of pet are not allowed at any time. It’s not that we don’t like them (many of us have those as pets too), but they are not permitted in our vacation properties for a number of reasons including other allergens or health risks.

Properties that allow pets only allow friendly/non-aggressive, housebroken, flea free dogs over 12 months old that are on a veterinarian approved monthly flea/tick treatment and prevention program. Dogs are not allowed on the furniture or beds, while many of us don’t mind that in our own homes, keep in mind that this is someone else’s home and please respect their homes.

Pet Fees:

Dogs are only allowed if a Pet Fee has been paid and approved prior to check-in for our Pet Friendly properties. Each rental property may have specific pet fees, pet restrictions and regulations that are unique, so be sure to review the terms and conditions on each of the individual vacation rentals. The Pet Fee applies even if the dog is only visiting the property for a few hours, a few days, etc. Please do not try to sneak in your pet or allow a family member or friend to try this in any property, it is grounds for immediate eviction of the entire property and guests without refund, in addition to paying all associated pet fees and a collection fee/undeclared pet fee, even in Pet Friendly Properties.

Violation of any of the pet policies will also result in the guest being charged for all costs and lost rents to the property owner and PROACTIVE Vacations for bringing the property back to it’s original state to remove any possible allergens or health risks for the future guests or the property owners (these can be extremely expensive ranging from $500 to over $25,000). Know that most properties have very watchful neighbors that will alert the property owner or our company every time they see a pet at a property, some owners live nearby, and the cleaning company, maintenance inspectors, and other vendors will surely notice that a pet has been in the property upon your departure.

At PROACTIVE Vacations we have worked hard to convince many property owners to allow dogs so that guests can bring the furry family members on vacation too, but they do have the expectation of being compensated for this due to the added wear and tear, risk, additional cleaning fees, additional pest control, etc, etc. As previously mentioned, we love pets, but we also we have a duty to our property owners and other guests and also to ensure all pet fees have been collected.

Property Designations

Pet Friendly Properties:

Dogs allowed with a Pet Fee. These properties allow dogs based on varying restrictions per property.  Most of our pet friendly properties allow a maximum of 2 dogs, some properties allow more or less (please inquire). Some properties have size restrictions. NOTE: These properties only allow Pets with a PAID Pet Fee. Guests are responsible for removing all dog waste from the yard, beach, etc. Note that the Security Deposit Waiver or the Pet Fee(s) do not cover damages or additional cleaning from pet accidents or policy violations.

No Pet Properties:

These properties do not allow vacationers to bring pets. The property owner may bring their pet, or perhaps a family member brings a pet, but guests are not allowed to. This may be due to a variety of reasons varying from a bad experience, to particular allergies, to personal preference, or other reasons.

Pet Free Properties:

These properties never allow any type of pet or animal on the property. This does NOT mean pets stay for free. These properties are pet allergen free for other guests, the property owner, or their family members. This is very serious for people with severe allergies. Bringing a pet into a pet free property can result in all of the charges described previously, medical expenses for those affected, possible replacement of items that cannot be adequately cleaned to remove allergens (carpets, furniture, curtains, bedding, other soft goods, etc).

Service & Assistance Animals

If you have a service animal, please see our procedures for bringing this working animal to one of our properties by clicking this link: Service & assistance animals webpage

We’ve compiled pet-centered vacation information for the area to assist with the planning of your pet-friendly travels to Brunswick County. We’ve also included additional links, resources and information that you’ll find useful during your stay.

Pet-Friendly Vacation Rentals

PROACTIVE Vacations recognizes that pets are part of the family. For that reason, we offer a nice selection of pet-friendly vacation rentals on Holden Beach and Oak Island in a wide variety of sizes, styles, and locations with the amenities you and your family desire.  PLEASE NOTE: Not all properties allow pets due to allergies or preferences of the property owners.

Pet Regulations our Beaches

Man’s best friend deserves some fun in the sun, sand and surf, too. Brunswick county welcomes pets to our shores, and is proud to offer some of the best pet-friendly beaches in North Carolina. We just ask that you abide by our local pet-friendly rules and regulations during the course of your stay.

• Holden Beach: Dogs are NOT allowed on the beach from May 20th to September 10th between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Dogs must be on a leash at all times on the island. Holden Beach Town Ordinances
• Oak Island & Caswell Beach: Properly leashed dogs are allowed on the beach at any time, and are allowed off their leashes on the beach seasonally from October 15 – March 15, and under certain conditions. Owners must pick up after their dogs, and properly dispose of all droppings. Oak Island Town Ordinances
• Ocean Isle Beach: ALL DOGS MUST BE ON A LEASH at all times of the year or contained or fenced AT ALL TIMES. No dogs allowed on the beach strand from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM from Memorial Day through Labor Day. No dogs allowed at any time in Public Access/Parking Areas. Pooper Scooper Ordinance is in effect island-wide. OIB Town Ordinances

Pet Tips

Pet Vacations. Many dogs encounter anxiety when taken on vacation. They are in a strange house, are often left alone in this new environment while on vacation while you are at the beach, out shopping, going out to eat, etc. They discover new scents, perhaps from dogs that have stayed in the house previously. Dogs that are perfectly behaved at home, at friends or family members’ homes; often react differently when on vacation. We suggest bringing a kennel or crate for your dog for such times or we can help arrange a rental crate to be delivered and picked up to your property from a local rental shop if you don’t have space for one in your vehicle. Note that the rental expense of a crate is much less than the cost of one accident that you don’t find and clean up yourself.

Be hot weather aware!

• Many people may not realize that having your dog down on the beach or on the deck for extended periods during hot sunny days can be as hazardous to their health as leaving them locked in a hot car.
• Sand and pavement can get very hot for their paws at the beach, while we have flip flops and other footwear to protect us, they do not. It’s always a good idea to bring a beach towel for them as well to get off the hot sand.
• Dogs get sunburnt too, but can’t wear sunscreen like you can; make sure they get some shade.
• Make sure they get plenty of fresh water (ocean water/saltwater is not good for them, will dehydrate them faster, and can cause intestinal problems).

Baths and Rinsing:

Always thoroughly rinse your dog after every trip to the beach with fresh water. It will help them to cool down after being in the hot sun or after exercise and walks on the beach. You will also find that their coats will carry a large amount of sand from the beach, please be sure they’re not bringing it into the house. Your entire party will also appreciate a fresh water rinse after trips to the beach or into the ocean; wet dog smell is worse with salt water.