--- title: Belcarra dog leash rules and off-leash areas question: "Where can dogs be off leash in Belcarra, and what are the leash rules?" place: Belcarra, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/belcarra category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: Village of Belcarra sources_read: 2026-11-08 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/dog-leash-rules/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/dog-leash-rules.json" --- # Belcarra dog leash rules and off-leash areas **Question:** Where can dogs be off leash in Belcarra, and what are the leash rules? **Short answer:** Belcarra's Animal Control Bylaw has no plain leash rule. It treats a dog as "running at large" if it is off its owner's property, not under the owner's care and control and not on a leash, and such a dog can be impounded. It names no off-leash areas. **Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Belcarra, https://belcarra.ca) **Cost:** Impoundment fees are $200 (first), $400 (second) and $600 (third or later), plus boarding and veterinary costs. No fine is set for a dog running at large. **How long:** Not applicable. **Where:** - In person: Municipal Hall, 4084 Bedwell Bay Road, Belcarra, BC V3H 4P8 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed statutory holidays).) - Phone: Village Office, 604-937-4100 - Email: Village Office, belcarra@belcarra.ca ## Key facts - **Leash rule:** The bylaw has no separate leash rule. It defines a dog "running at large" as one not on its owner's premises, not under its owner's care and control and not on a leash off the owner's property; the Poundkeeper or Officer may impound any dog running at large. Aggressive dogs must be muzzled off the owner's property. - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 431, 2010 (PDF, consolidated), ss. 2, 9, 13](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/01/Bylaw-431-2010-Village-of-Belcarra-Animal-Control-Consolidated.pdf) - Official wording: "that is not in or upon the premises of its owner; is not under the care and control of its owner and is not secured on a leash to its owner off the property of its owner" … "The Poundkeeper or Officer may at any time impound any dog running at large." … "unless the dog is muzzled to prevent it from biting other domestic animals, dogs or humans" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Maximum leash length:** None set. Belcarra's Animal Control Bylaw sets no maximum leash length, no off-leash areas and no places where dogs are banned. - **Off-leash areas:** None set. Belcarra's Animal Control Bylaw sets no maximum leash length, no off-leash areas and no places where dogs are banned. - **Places dogs are not allowed:** None set. Belcarra's Animal Control Bylaw sets no maximum leash length, no off-leash areas and no places where dogs are banned. - **Cleaning up:** The dog owner must fully remove the dog's feces from a public place or from private property that is not theirs and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. This does not apply to a guide animal handler whose disability prevents it. - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 431, 2010 (PDF, consolidated), ss. 6-7](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/01/Bylaw-431-2010-Village-of-Belcarra-Animal-Control-Consolidated.pdf) - Official wording: "the owner of the dog is responsible for ensuring that the feces are fully removed from the public place or private property and disposed of in a sanitary manner" … "whose disability renders that person incapable of removing and disposing of the feces, this section does not apply" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Not confirmed. The Village's ticket schedules list no ticket amount for running at large. - **Bylaw:** Village of Belcarra Animal Control Bylaw No. 431, 2010 - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 431, 2010 (PDF, consolidated), title, s. 1](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/01/Bylaw-431-2010-Village-of-Belcarra-Animal-Control-Consolidated.pdf) - Official wording: "Village of Belcarra Animal Control Bylaw No. 431, 2010" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 ## How it works The [Animal Control Bylaw No. 431, 2010]() defines a dog "running at large" as one that is not on its owner's premises, is not under its owner's care and control, and is not secured on a leash to its owner off the owner's property. The Poundkeeper or Officer may impound any dog running at large. In practice, keep your dog on a leash or under your control whenever it is off your property. ## Good to know - The bylaw sets no maximum leash length, no off-leash areas and no places where dogs are banned. Belcarra Regional Park is run by Metro Vancouver, so check its rules separately. - An aggressive dog must be muzzled whenever it is off the owner's property. - Clean up after your dog. The owner must fully remove the dog's feces from a public place, or from private property that is not theirs, and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. This does not apply to a guide animal handler whose disability prevents it. - No ticket amount for running at large is listed in the Village's ticket schedules. On conviction in court, the bylaw sets a fine of $2,500 to $10,000. - If your dog is impounded, the fee is $200 the first time, $400 the second time and $600 the third time or later, plus boarding and veterinary costs. - To ask a question or report a problem, call the Village Office at 604-937-4100. ## Official forms and pages - [Animal Control Bylaw No. 431, 2010 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/01/Bylaw-431-2010-Village-of-Belcarra-Animal-Control-Consolidated.pdf) - [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 520, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2024/09/Bylaw-520-2018-Bylaw-Notice-Enforcement-Bylaw-Consolidated.pdf) - [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 517, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2026/07/Bylaw-517-2018-Fees-and-Charges-Bylaw-Consolidated.pdf) ## Related questions - [Belcarra dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/dog-licence.md) - [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Belcarra](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/how-many-pets.md) - [Belcarra rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/dangerous-dogs.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Anmore](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/dog-leash-rules.md) - [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Port Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/dog-leash-rules.md) ## Sources - [Animal Control Bylaw No. 431, 2010 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2020/01/Bylaw-431-2010-Village-of-Belcarra-Animal-Control-Consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 520, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2024/09/Bylaw-520-2018-Bylaw-Notice-Enforcement-Bylaw-Consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 517, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2026/07/Bylaw-517-2018-Fees-and-Charges-Bylaw-Consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 256, 1997 (PDF), Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/assets/media/2019/05/vob-bylaw-256_municipal_ticketing.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Contact Us, Village of Belcarra](https://belcarra.ca/contact-us/) (read 2026-11-08) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 3 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 3 are recorded as not set; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Belcarra. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/dog-leash-rules/_