Some beach goers who flaunt the leash laws at Cape Hatteras National Seashore on North Carolina's Outer Banks are heading home with fines of $125 or more.

Federal regulations in the national seashore require that dogs be crated, caged, on a six-foot leash, or otherwise under physical restraint. During the summer months, dogs are prohibited on designated swimming beaches such as Coquina Beach, Buxton Beach or the Ocracoke Day Use area.

Recent observations of dogs off-leash in the seashore have resulted in verbal and written warnings and some citations.

"Unleashed dogs are known to have serious impacts on park wildlife and can be a nuisance or threat to other visitors while enjoying the beach,” said Superintendent David Hallac. “This is an issue that we take very seriously, especially now in our high visitation period and during wildlife nesting season.”

Tim Havens, the seashore's acting chief ranger, said Friday that most of the incidents have led to verbal or written warnings, though a few fines have been handed out.

"It's a challenge at a lot of park areas," he said. "At the seashore, it's a common problem."

Repeat offenders could be handed a fine of more than $125 or receive a court order banning them from the seashore, receive a $5,000 fine, or even be sentenced to six months in jail.

Tampering with threatened and endangered species or their habitat requires a mandatory appearance in federal court with possible fines of $25,000 and incarceration of five years, according to seashore staff. Threatened and endangered species nesting at Cape Hatteras include both shorebirds and sea turtles.

Park visitors also need protection from roaming dogs. Not everyone welcomes a strange, wet dog charging up to them or their small children while swimming or walking on the beach. Many children and adults are afraid of unfamiliar dogs. Even a “friendly” dog that “would never bite” can act unpredictably towards strangers, the staff said.