From now through March 31, a Wells dog can walk on Wells Beach, Crescent Beach and Drakes Island Beach at any hour of the day. Several other places nearby follow rules that don't change with the season. Wells Reserve at Laudholm keeps its trails closed to dogs in January the same as in July. Harbor Park follows one rule all year. A short drive south, Ogunquit opened its beach and the Marginal Way to dogs on two different dates, three weeks apart.
The calendar only matters on Wells's own beaches. Everywhere else the rule comes from whoever runs the land: the Town of Wells, the Town of Ogunquit, the Wells Reserve, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Each one keeps its own rulebook.
The town beaches are the only places that run on a calendar
The Town of Wells splits the year into three windows for its public beaches. Its seasonal dog leash rules notice names three of them: Wells Beach, Crescent Beach and Drakes Island Beach.
- April 1 to June 15: dogs are allowed at all times, on a leash and under a responsible person's charge.
- June 16 to September 15: dogs are not allowed on the beach from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. they're allowed on a leash.
- September 16 to March 31: dogs are allowed at all times.
The town's notice is clear that "at all times" doesn't mean anything goes. In the off-season window, dogs on the beach fall under the town's Dog at Large ordinance, which the notice says is based on Maine state law. The notice quotes the rule directly:
"Any dog leaving the property of its owner or custodian must be on a leash of suitable strength or must be under the supervision and verbal control of its master."
The Wells animal control ordinance adds a few specifics. A leash is a hand-held device no longer than six feet. Animals may not run at large except when used for hunting. Off the owner's own property, owners have to remove their dog's waste and carry it to a proper trash receptacle, with exceptions for working police dogs and for people physically unable to do so because of a disability.
The notice also lists exceptions. The restrictions don't apply to dogs on their owner's property, or on another property with the owner's permission. They also don't apply to Seeing Eye dogs, other dogs assisting a person with a disability, or working police dogs.
Harbor Park never changes, because it isn't a beach
Harbor Park sits right on the water, so it's easy to assume it follows the beach schedule. It doesn't. The town says plainly that Harbor Park is not a beach, and that the Dog at Large ordinance applies there instead.
That means Harbor Park has no summer daytime ban and no off-season change. The same leash-or-voice-control rule applies on a busy August afternoon and on a quiet February morning. It's the one waterfront spot in town where the rule holds still all year.
Down Harbor Road, Fisherman's Catch at 134 Harbor Road has a dog-friendly picnic area for takeout customers that overlooks the marsh. Dogs aren't allowed on the outdoor dining patio or inside the restaurant. The restaurant's posted fall hours, starting Wednesday, September 9, are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It's closed Wednesdays. Seasonal hours change, so call ahead at 207-646-8780 before planning a late-fall stop.
The trails that look like dog walks follow other rulebooks
Wells's best-known trail network is closed to dogs in every season. The Wells Reserve at Laudholm opens its trails every day from 7 a.m. to sunset, and its site rules don't allow dogs or other pets. All seven miles of trail are off the list. The quiet of November doesn't change that, because the rule was never tied to crowds.
The Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is federal land, and it draws a narrower line. Leashed pets are allowed only on the Carson Trail. The refuge's designated visitor areas are open year-round from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset, and visitors have to carry out their trash. The Carson Trail has no voice-control option. Dogs there are leashed every day of the year.
The town relaxes its beach rules in winter because beach crowds thin out. The reserve and the refuge keep their rules because they're protecting land and wildlife, and that job doesn't take a season off.
Three rulebooks within a short drive
Head south to Ogunquit and the map changes again. The Town of Ogunquit's ordinance sets dates that don't match Wells's, and it treats its own two dog destinations differently.
| Place | Rule set by | Dogs in late October | Next change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Beach, Crescent Beach, Drakes Island Beach | Town of Wells | Any hour, on leash or under voice control | April 1: leash required at all hours |
| Harbor Park, Wells | Town of Wells dog-at-large ordinance | Leash or voice control | None, same rule all year |
| Ogunquit Beach area | Town of Ogunquit | Allowed on leash since September 9 | April 1: no dogs through September 8 |
| Marginal Way | Town of Ogunquit | Allowed on leash since October 1 | April 1: no dogs through September 30 |
| Ogunquit River Estuary | Town of Ogunquit | Never | None |
| Wells Reserve at Laudholm trails | Wells Reserve | No pets | None |
| Carson Trail, Rachel Carson NWR | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | On leash, half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset | None |
The table shows two differences. Ogunquit requires a leash in every open season, so the voice-control option that applies on Wells beaches in winter doesn't exist there. And the Ogunquit River Estuary is closed to dogs year-round, even when the beach next to it is open.
On the other end, the seasons line up. Both towns' winter windows end March 31. On April 1, Ogunquit bans dogs from its beach and the Marginal Way, while Wells beaches stay open to leashed dogs until June 16.
Why April 1 matters on Wells Beach
The spring and summer rules on Wells beaches protect more than beach towels. Wells Beach is one of Maine's busiest nesting areas for piping plovers. Maine Audubon's 2025 season recap counted 23 breeding pairs and 45 fledged chicks at Wells Beach that year, and named off-leash dogs as one of several threats to the birds.
Statewide, the numbers keep rising. The Portland Press Herald reported on July 1, 2026 that Maine had 185 nesting pairs, beating the 2025 record of 174. More nesting birds on the same sand helps explain why leashes come back on April 1, well before the summer crowds arrive.
The license window opened October 15
Fall is also when the town handles the paperwork side of owning a dog. In an October 14, 2026 notice, the Town of Wells announced that 2027 dog license renewals began October 15. You can renew in person at the Town Clerk's Office or online through the State of Maine's dog licensing service. Either way, you'll need your dog's current rabies certificate.
Fees are the same as last year:
- $6.00 for an altered dog
- $11.00 for an unaltered dog
- $1.00 extra per transaction if you renew online
Licenses expire December 31, and the town charges a $25 late fee per dog after that. This year the Town Clerk's Office is adding two extras. Everyone who licenses before the December 31 expiration goes into a raffle for a basket of pet supplies. The office is also collecting photos of local dogs for next year's reminder postcard, sent to [email protected]. The state also requires dogs to be licensed in their town of residence by six months of age, or within 10 days of adoption.
That 10-day rule applies to anyone planning to adopt this weekend. The Animal Welfare Society is holding an adoption event Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at PetSmart, 208 Mariner Way in Biddeford, where visitors can meet adoptable dogs.
This is general information, not legal advice. For your own situation, check the current ordinance text and confirm with the Town Clerk or animal control.
For buyers who have a dog, the property's location matters as much as the house. The right address can mean a five-minute walk to sand where your dog is welcome half the year, or a short drive to trails where dogs aren't allowed at all. If you're thinking about a move within Wells or Ogunquit and want to see how a specific street lines up with the beaches, Harbor Park and the Carson Trail, Brooke Peterson can go through that map with you. Already own here and curious what your place is worth? Request Your Instant Home Valuation.
