{"title":"Clearwater dog leash rules and off-leash areas","question":"Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?","slug":"dog-leash-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/clearwater","name":"Clearwater","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"pets-and-wildlife","name":"Pets, animals and wildlife"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of Clearwater","url":"https://www.districtofclearwater.com"},"short_answer":"In Clearwater, a dog on a sidewalk, highway or in any public park, space or building must be on a leash held by a competent person. The exception is an area the District has designated as off-leash. No list or map of those areas was found. An at-large ticket is $100.","aliases":["dog leash rules clearwater","off leash dog park clearwater","clearwater dog park","dogs at large clearwater"],"cost":"Ticket for a dog at large or off leash: $100 ($75 if paid within 30 days).","how_long":"Not applicable.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Enforcement Officer","value":"250-674-2257","note":"Complaints must be in writing or on the online form, with your name and phone number. Email bylaw@docbc.ca."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater","url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/"},{"title":"Dog Park Update, District of Clearwater","url":"https://www.districtofclearwater.com/dog-park-update/"},{"title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater","url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/"}],"related":[{"slug":"dangerous-dogs","title":"Clearwater rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/dangerous-dogs/"},{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Clearwater","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/how-many-pets/"},{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Clearwater bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/bylaw-fines/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/barriere","name":"Barriere","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sun-peaks","name":"Sun Peaks","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sun-peaks/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/100-mile-house","name":"100 Mile House","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kamloops","name":"Kamloops","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sicamous","name":"Sicamous","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/enderby","name":"Enderby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/dog-leash-rules/"}],"topic":{"title":"Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules/"},"facts":{"leash_rule":{"label":"Leash rule","value":"On a sidewalk, highway or in any public park, space or building, a dog must be under the control of a competent person by means of a leash, unless it is with its person inside an area the District has designated as off-leash. A dog must not be at large on a sidewalk, highway, park or other public place.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater","section":"s. 6.1 and s. 5.2(a)","quotes":["ensure it is under the control of a competent person by means of a leash","to be at large on a sidewalk, highway, park or other public place"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"leash_length":{"label":"Maximum leash length","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Clearwater's Animal Control Bylaw 148 sets no leash length for ordinary dogs.","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater"}]},"off_leash_areas":{"label":"Off-leash areas","value":"Only in an area the District designates as off-leash, and the dog must be accompanied by its person. No list or map of designated areas was found. The District is planning a fenced dog park at Weyerhaeuser Pioneer Park, with dogs on-leash until inside the fence.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater","section":"s. 6.1","quotes":["within an area designated by the District as an off-leash area"]},{"url":"https://www.districtofclearwater.com/dog-park-update/","title":"Dog Park Update, District of Clearwater","section":"Dog Park Update","quotes":["Council selected Weyerhaeuser Pioneer Park as the preferred site.","Requiring dogs to remain on-leash until inside the fenced dog park"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"dogs_not_allowed":{"label":"Places dogs are not allowed","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Clearwater's Animal Control Bylaw does not list places where dogs are banned.","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater"}]},"clean_up":{"label":"Cleaning up","value":"A person responsible for a dog must immediately remove feces the dog deposits on a sidewalk, highway or in a public park, space or building, and dispose of it in a sanitary manner.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater","section":"s. 6.1","quotes":["must immediately remove feces deposited by the dog and dispose of it in a sanitary manner"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fine_at_large":{"label":"Fine, dog at large or off leash","value":"Municipal ticket: animal at large $100 ($75 if paid within 30 days); dog off leash (prohibited area) $100 ($75).","short":"Ticket $100 ($75 if paid in 30 days)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater","section":"Schedule 7 (Animal Control Bylaw No. 148)","quotes":["Animal at large","Dog off leash (prohibited area)","Fine if paid"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"District of Clearwater Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the “District of Clearwater Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016”."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":7,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":2,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder the District's [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148](<https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/>), a dog on a sidewalk, highway or in any public park, space or building must be under the control of a competent person by means of a leash. A dog must not be at large on a sidewalk, highway, park or other public place. The only exception is a dog with its person inside an area the District has designated as off-leash.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- No list or map of designated off-leash areas was found. Ask the District at 250-674-2257.\n- The District's [Dog Park Update](<https://www.districtofclearwater.com/dog-park-update/>) page says Council chose Weyerhaeuser Pioneer Park as the preferred site for a fenced dog park, with dogs on leash until inside the fence. It is a project update, so check that the park is open.\n- Bylaw 148 sets no leash length for ordinary dogs. Only aggressive dogs have a limit (2.4 metres).\n- The bylaw does not list places where dogs are banned.\n- Clean up: you must immediately remove any feces your dog leaves on a sidewalk, highway or in a public park, space or building, and dispose of it in a sanitary manner.\n- Municipal tickets under the [MTI Bylaw No. 221](<https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/>): animal at large $100 ($75 if paid within 30 days); dog off leash in a prohibited area $100 ($75).","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.districtofclearwater.com/dog-park-update/","title":"Dog Park Update, District of Clearwater","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.districtofclearwater.com/residents/municipal-ticketing-information-mti/","title":"Municipal Ticketing Information (MTI), District of Clearwater","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 2 are recorded as not set."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/dog-leash-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/dog-leash-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/dog-leash-rules.json"}}