New county law: Stay away from N.C. beach horses

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, December 1, 2009

COROLLA (AP) ó Visitors to North Carolina’s Outer Banks now are required to stay away from the famous wild horses in the Corolla area.
The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk reports that the Currituck County Board of Commissioners adopted a new ordinance last week that orders visitors to stay 50 feet away from the wild horses.
A law adopted in 1989 made it illegal to be within 50 feet of a horse if trying to feed it. The new law bans any intentional contact.
County Attorney Donald McRee says there have been complaints this year about people putting children on the horses and posing with them for photos. Officials also said a woman walked with a herd and ignored repeated warning to move away.
Under the old law officials couldn’t take action because the tourists weren’t feeding the horses.