--- title: Chetwynd dog leash rules and off-leash areas question: "Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?" place: Chetwynd, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/chetwynd category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: District of Chetwynd sources_read: 2026-11-08 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/dog-leash-rules/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/dog-leash-rules.json" --- # Chetwynd dog leash rules and off-leash areas **Question:** Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules? **Short answer:** In Chetwynd, a dog must be on a leash of no more than 2 metres (6.5 feet) and under the control of a competent person in any public place, except a designated off-leash area. The District does not publish a list of off-leash areas that we could find. **Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Chetwynd, https://www.gochetwynd.com) **Cost:** Ticket for a dog at large: $75 first offence, $150 second, $75 more for each further offence within 12 months. Impound fee $30 a day, $15 for part of a day under 6 hours. **How long:** Not applicable. **Where:** - Phone: Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control, 250-401-4119 - In person: District of Chetwynd Municipal Office, 5400 Hospital Road, Chetwynd, BC V0C 1J0 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) ## Key facts - **Leash rule:** A dog must be on a leash and under the immediate control of a competent person in a public place (other than a designated off-leash area), and on private property unless the owner or occupier has given permission for it to be off leash. A dog must not be at large. - Source: [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 1158, 2023, s. 5.1, 5.2](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/BL1158-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw-1158-2023.pdf) - Official wording: "An Owner of a dog must not permit, allow, or suffer the dog to be At Large." … "shall keep the dog on a Leash and under immediate control of a" … "competent person while the dog is in a public place (other than a designated off leash" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Maximum leash length:** 2 metres (6.5 feet) at most. A dangerous dog must be on a leash of 1 metre at most when off its owner's property. - Source: [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 1158, 2023, s. 2 "Leash"; s. 6.4(a)](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/BL1158-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw-1158-2023.pdf) - Official wording: "no longer than 2 meters (6.5 feet) in length" … "a maximum length of one (1) meter" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Off-leash areas:** Not confirmed. The District's site does not list any off-leash areas. - **Places dogs are not allowed:** Parks and Public Places Bylaw: no person may permit a dog or other animal to be in a park or public place unless otherwise posted or with prior written approval for a special event. (Sources differ: This appears to conflict with Animal Responsibility Bylaw s. 5.2, which lets a leashed dog be in a public place. No list of posted parks was found. Check with the District before taking a dog into a park.) - Source: [Parks and Public Places Regulation Bylaw No. 926, 2010, s. 4.3.1](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Parks-Public-Places-Regulation-Bylaw-No.-926-2010.pdf) - Official wording: "shall permit any dog or other" … "animal to be in a park or public place unless otherwise posted or with prior" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Cleaning up:** Remove the dog's excrement immediately and put it in a suitable refuse container. Parks bylaw: the person in custody of the dog must remove and dispose of the feces in a sanitary manner. Exempt only an assistance-animal owner who is blind or physically unable. - Source: [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 1158, 2023, s. 5.6, 5.7](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/BL1158-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw-1158-2023.pdf) - Official wording: "must immediately remove excrement deposited by the dog and" … "deposit it in a suitable refuse container" … "is exempt from section 5.6 if the Owner" - Source: [Parks and Public Places Regulation Bylaw No. 926, 2010, s. 4.3.2](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Parks-Public-Places-Regulation-Bylaw-No.-926-2010.pdf) - Official wording: "remove from a permitted area or public place and dispose of in a sanitary manner" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Municipal ticket under Animal Responsibility Bylaw Schedule B: $75 for a 1st offence, $150 for a 2nd, and $75 more for each further offence within 12 months by the same owner. Impound fees: $30 a day, $15 for part of a day under 6 hours. (Sources differ: Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 935, 2011, Appendix 3 lists "Dog at Large" at $50 (increasing by $50) under the repealed Dog Control Bylaw No. 908, 2009.) - Source: [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 1158, 2023, Schedule B, ss. 1, 4](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/BL1158-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw-1158-2023.pdf) - Official wording: "1st offence $75.00" … "$150.00" … "Per day (6 hours or more) $30.00" … "Per part day (less than 6 hours) $15.00" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Bylaw:** Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 1158, 2023 (leash rules); Parks & Public Places Regulation Bylaw No. 926, 2010 (parks) - Source: [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 1158, 2023, s. 1](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/BL1158-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw-1158-2023.pdf) - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as" - Source: [Parks and Public Places Regulation Bylaw No. 926, 2010, title](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Parks-Public-Places-Regulation-Bylaw-No.-926-2010.pdf) - Official wording: "Parks and Public Places Regulation Bylaw No. 926, 2010" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 ## How it works Under the [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 1158](), a dog in Chetwynd must be on a leash and under the immediate control of a competent person in a public place, other than a designated off-leash area. On private property it must be leashed unless the owner or occupier has given permission for it to be off leash. A dog must not be at large. A dangerous dog must be on a leash of 1 metre at most when off its owner's property. ## Good to know - The bylaw defines an off-leash area as one the District designates, but the District's site does not list any. Ask Bylaw Enforcement at 250-401-4119. - The [Parks and Public Places Regulation Bylaw]() says no person may permit a dog or other animal to be in a park or public place unless otherwise posted or with prior written approval for a special event. This appears to conflict with the leash rule, so check with the District before taking a dog into a park. - Pick up after your dog: remove its excrement immediately and put it in a suitable refuse container. The only exemption is for an assistance-animal owner who is blind or physically unable. - A dog at large can bring a municipal ticket: $75 for a first offence, $150 for a second, and $75 more for each further offence within 12 months. The older Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw still lists $50 under a repealed dog bylaw, so confirm the amount with the District. - Impound fees are $30 a day, or $15 for part of a day under 6 hours. ## Official forms and pages - [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 1158, 2023 (PDF)](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/BL1158-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw-1158-2023.pdf) - [Parks and Public Places Regulation Bylaw No. 926, 2010 (PDF)](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Parks-Public-Places-Regulation-Bylaw-No.-926-2010.pdf) ## Related questions - [Chetwynd dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/dog-licence.md) - [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Chetwynd](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/how-many-pets.md) - [Chetwynd rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/dangerous-dogs.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Tumbler Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tumbler-ridge/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Fort St. John](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Dawson Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Pouce Coupe](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Mackenzie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Prince George](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/dog-leash-rules.md) ## Sources - [Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 1158, 2023 (PDF), District of Chetwynd](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/BL1158-Animal-Responsibility-Bylaw-1158-2023.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Parks and Public Places Regulation Bylaw No. 926, 2010 (PDF), District of Chetwynd](https://www.gochetwynd.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Parks-Public-Places-Regulation-Bylaw-No.-926-2010.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Bylaw Enforcement, District of Chetwynd](https://www.gochetwynd.com/municipal-office/departments/protective-services/bylaw-enforcement/) (read 2026-11-08) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. 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