Clearwater dog leash rules and off-leash areas
Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?
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.
Key facts
| Leash rule | 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.Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 6.1 and s. 5.2(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingensure 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 |
|---|---|
| Maximum leash length | None set. Clearwater's Animal Control Bylaw 148 sets no leash length for ordinary dogs.Read: Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 |
| Off-leash areas | 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.Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 6.1; Dog Park Update · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingwithin an area designated by the District as an off-leash area Council selected Weyerhaeuser Pioneer Park as the preferred site. Requiring dogs to remain on-leash until inside the fenced dog park |
| Places dogs are not allowed | None set. Clearwater's Animal Control Bylaw does not list places where dogs are banned.Read: Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 |
| Cleaning up | 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.Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 6.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingmust immediately remove feces deposited by the dog and dispose of it in a sanitary manner |
| Fine, dog at large or off leash | Municipal ticket: animal at large $100 ($75 if paid within 30 days); dog off leash (prohibited area) $100 ($75).Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019, Schedule 7 (Animal Control Bylaw No. 148) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingAnimal at large Dog off leash (prohibited area) Fine if paid |
| Bylaw | District of Clearwater Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingThis bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the “District of Clearwater Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016”. |
How it works
Under the District's Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 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.
Good to know
- No list or map of designated off-leash areas was found. Ask the District at 250-674-2257.
- The District's 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.
- Bylaw 148 sets no leash length for ordinary dogs. Only aggressive dogs have a limit (2.4 metres).
- The bylaw does not list places where dogs are banned.
- 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.
- Municipal tickets under the MTI Bylaw No. 221: animal at large $100 ($75 if paid within 30 days); dog off leash in a prohibited area $100 ($75).
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Barriere · Sun Peaks · 100 Mile House · Kamloops · Sicamous · Enderby
Sources
- Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater (read 2026-11-08)
- Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater (read 2026-11-08)
- Dog Park Update, District of Clearwater (read 2026-11-08)
- Municipal Ticketing Information (MTI), District of Clearwater (read 2026-11-08)
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. How answers are checked.