---
title: Bowen Island dog leash rules and off-leash areas
question: "Where can dogs be off leash in Bowen Island, and what are the leash rules?"
place: Bowen Island, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/bowen-island
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: Bowen Island Municipality
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/dog-leash-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/dog-leash-rules.json"
---

# Bowen Island dog leash rules and off-leash areas

**Question:** Where can dogs be off leash in Bowen Island, and what are the leash rules?

**Short answer:** In Bowen Island, dogs may not run at large. On public property a dog must be on a leash, or off leash within 3 metres of its owner and under command. Dogs must be leashed in Snug Cove, around Grafton Lake and in Crippen Regional Park, and are banned from three beaches in July and August.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Bowen Island Municipality, https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca)  
**Cost:** No cost to follow the rules. A bylaw notice for a dog running at large or not on a leash or under control is $25 for a first offence.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 604-947-4255 ext. 2 (Municipal offices: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Email: Bylaw Services email, bylaw@bimbc.ca
- Phone: Animal Control Officer (on duty 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week except statutory holidays), 604-328-5499

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** Dogs may not run at large. On public property a dog must be under control: on a leash, or off leash and within 3 metres of its owner and under command. Dogs must be on a leash in the Snug Cove area shown on Schedule A; the municipality also names Grafton Lake and Crippen Regional Park as on-leash.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 30, 2001 (consolidated July 2022), Bowen Island Municipality, ss. 1, 3.1(c), (e), (f)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/34266/)
  - Official wording: "The running at large of dogs is prohibited within the Municipality." … "Dogs are to be kept under control when on public property." … "Dogs are to be on leash in the area designated in Schedule A." … "not more than 3 metres away from its owner"
  - Source: [Dog Control, Bowen Island Municipality, Leash rules](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/dog-control/)
  - Official wording: "Dogs are required to be on-leash in both Snug Cove and around Grafton Lake." … "Crippen Regional Park also requires that dogs are kept on-leash."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Maximum leash length:** The bylaw sets no maximum leash length for ordinary dogs. A dangerous dog must be on a leash not longer than two metres.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 30, 2001 (consolidated July 2022), Bowen Island Municipality, s. 4.1(c)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/34266/)
  - Official wording: "on a leash not longer than two metres"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Off-leash areas:** On municipal trails other than Grafton Lake, a dog can be off leash but must be under control, within three metres of you. The page mentions a dog park but gives no list or map.
  - Source: [Dog Control, Bowen Island Municipality, Leash rules](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/dog-control/)
  - Official wording: "On Municipal trails, except for Grafton Lake, your dog can be off its leash but must be under your control at all times (within three meters of you)." … "your dog must be leashed at all times (except in the dog park, of course)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** Dogs are not allowed on Sandy Beach, Tunstall Bay Beach and Bowen Bay Beach in July and August. The page says service dogs and their handlers are the only exception. On other beaches dogs must be on a leash or within 3 metres of you.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 30, 2001 (consolidated July 2022), Bowen Island Municipality, s. 3.1(d), Appendix B](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/34266/)
  - Official wording: "Dogs are not allowed on public beaches listed in Appendix" … "during the months of July and August." … "Sandy Beach" … "Tunstall Bay Beach" … "Bowen Bay Beach"
  - Source: [Dog Control, Bowen Island Municipality, Dogs on beaches](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/dog-control/)
  - Official wording: "Dogs are not permitted on Bowen Bay Beach, Tunstall Bay Beach and Sandy Beach during the months of July and August." … "The only exception is for service dogs and their handlers."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Cleaning up:** If a dog defecates on any public traffic area or on property other than its owner's, the owner must remove the faeces immediately.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 30, 2001 (consolidated July 2022), Bowen Island Municipality, s. 3.1(a)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/34266/)
  - Official wording: "the owner shall cause the faeces to be removed immediately."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Bylaw notice for a dog running at large: $25 first offence ($15 if paid early, $35 late); $50 second ($25 early, $75 late); $150 further ($125 early, $175 late). Dog not on leash or not under control carries the same amounts.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 196, 2008 (consolidated March 2026), Bowen Island Municipality, Schedule AC](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/339717/)
  - Official wording: "3.1c Dog running at large – first contravention 25.00 15.00 35.00" … "3.1c Dog running at large – further contraventions 150.00 125.00 175.00" … "3.1f Dog not on leash – first contravention" … "3.1e Dog not under control – first contravention"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Bowen Island Municipality Dog Control Bylaw No. 30, 2001 (consolidated July 2022)
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 30, 2001 (consolidated July 2022), Bowen Island Municipality, title and s. 7.1](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/34266/)
  - Official wording: "Dog Control Bylaw No. 30, 2001" … "CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE – JULY 2022"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under the [Dog Control Bylaw No. 30, 2001](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/34266/), dogs may not run at large. On public property a dog must be under control: on a leash, or off leash and within 3 metres of its owner and under command. Dogs must be on a leash in the Snug Cove area shown on Schedule A of the bylaw, and the Municipality's [Dog Control page](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/dog-control/) also names Grafton Lake and Crippen Regional Park as on-leash. The bylaw sets no maximum leash length for ordinary dogs.

## Good to know

- On municipal trails other than Grafton Lake, a dog can be off leash if it is under control and within 3 metres of you. The page mentions a dog park but gives no list or map; ask Bylaw Services where it is.
- Dogs are not allowed on Sandy Beach, Tunstall Bay Beach and Bowen Bay Beach in July and August. The page says service dogs and their handlers are the only exception. On other beaches dogs must be on a leash or within 3 metres of you.
- If your dog defecates on a public traffic area or on someone else's property, remove the faeces immediately.
- A bylaw notice for a dog running at large, off leash or not under control is $25 for a first offence, $50 for a second and $150 for further ones. Paid within 14 days they are $15, $25 and $125.
- Questions: Bylaw Services, 604-947-4255 ext. 2 or bylaw@bimbc.ca.

## Official forms and pages

- [Dog Control, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/dog-control/)
- [Dog Control Bylaw No. 30, 2001 (consolidated July 2022) (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/34266/)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 196, 2008 (consolidated March 2026) (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/339717/)

## Related questions

- [Bowen Island dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/dog-licence.md)
- [Bowen Island rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Bowen Island](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/how-many-pets.md)
- [Bowen Island bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Dog Control, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/dog-control/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Dog Control Bylaw No. 30, 2001 (consolidated July 2022) (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/34266/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 196, 2008 (consolidated March 2026) (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/339717/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/contact/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 7 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Bowen Island Municipality. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/dog-leash-rules/_