{"title":"Courtenay 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/courtenay","name":"Courtenay","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":"City of Courtenay","url":"https://www.courtenay.ca"},"short_answer":"Courtenay has no off-leash parks. Under the City of Courtenay's Animal Control Bylaw, a dog must be on a leash on any highway, in a City park or other public place, and the person holding it must be able to control it. The leash or chain cannot be longer than 1.83 metres (6 feet).","aliases":["off leash dog park courtenay","dogs in parks courtenay","leash law courtenay","dog poop bylaw courtenay"],"cost":null,"how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Enforcement","value":"250-334-4441 ext. 5","note":"Seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 5:45 p.m."},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Enforcement","value":"bylaw@courtenay.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal control, City of Courtenay","url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/animal-control"},{"title":"Parks and open spaces, City of Courtenay","url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/parks-bylaw"},{"title":"Animal Control Bylaw 1897 (consolidated PDF)","url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Courtenay dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"dangerous-dogs","title":"Courtenay rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/dangerous-dogs/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/comox","name":"Comox","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cumberland","name":"Cumberland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/powell-river","name":"Powell River","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/campbell-river","name":"Campbell River","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-alberni","name":"Port Alberni","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/qualicum-beach","name":"Qualicum Beach","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/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":"Dogs must be on a leash on any highway, in City parks and in other public places, led by a person able to control them.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897 (consolidated July 2021) (PDF)","section":"s. 16","quotes":["No owner shall permit any dog to be on a highway, City park or other public place within the City","led by that person on a leash or chain that does not exceed 1.83 metres (6 feet) in length."]},{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/animal-control","title":"Animal control, City of Courtenay","section":"What you need to know","quotes":["Dogs must be on a leash in all public spaces."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"leash_length":{"label":"Maximum leash length","value":"1.83 m (6 feet) maximum, leash or chain.","short":"1.83 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897 (consolidated July 2021) (PDF)","section":"s. 16","quotes":["led by that person on a leash or chain that does not exceed 1.83 metres (6 feet) in length."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"off_leash_areas":{"label":"Off-leash areas","value":"None. The City says there are no off-leash parks in Courtenay.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/animal-control","title":"Animal control, City of Courtenay","section":"What you need to know","quotes":["There are no off-leash parks in Courtenay."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"dogs_not_allowed":{"label":"Places dogs are not allowed","value":"Not allowed on school grounds, playgrounds, designated parks or sports fields. The bylaw also bars dogs from any restricted area of a park, except dogs in City-approved events and certified service or working dogs.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/animal-control","title":"Animal control, City of Courtenay","section":"What you need to know","quotes":["Dogs are not allowed on school grounds, playgrounds, designated parks or sports fields."]},{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897 (consolidated July 2021) (PDF)","section":"s. 15","quotes":["No person shall permit, suffer or allow their dog to be in a restricted area of any park, except:"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"clean_up":{"label":"Cleaning up","value":"Owners must immediately remove and sanitarily dispose of their dog's excrement on any public place or on private property other than their own.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897 (consolidated July 2021) (PDF)","section":"s. 17","quotes":["deposit excrement on any public place or on private property other than the property of the owner","unless the owner immediately takes steps to remove such excrement and to dispose of it in a sanitary manner."]},{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/parks-bylaw","title":"Parks and open spaces, City of Courtenay","section":"Parks and open spaces","quotes":["Dogs must be on a leash in all City parks. Clean up after your pet."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine_at_large":{"label":"Fine, dog at large or off leash","value":"Bylaw notice: dog at large $200 ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 if paid late). Leash longer than 6 feet: $100 ($75 early; $125 late).","short":"Notice $200 ($150 if paid in 14 days)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf","title":"Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185 (PDF)","section":"Appendix A, Animal Control Bylaw","quotes":["Dog at large IV.16 $200.00 $150.00 $250.00 Yes","Fail to have dog on leash no longer IV.16 $100.00 $75.00 $125.00 Yes"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897, 1996","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897 (consolidated July 2021) (PDF)","section":"s. 44","quotes":["Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897, 1996"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":7,"stated":7,"matched":7,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nCourtenay's [Animal Control Bylaw](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021) requires every dog on a highway, in a City park or in any other public place to be led by a person able to control it, on a leash or chain no longer than 1.83 metres (6 feet). The City says there are no off-leash parks in Courtenay.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Dogs are not allowed on school grounds, playgrounds, designated parks or sports fields. The bylaw also bars dogs from any restricted area of a park. Dogs in City-approved events and certified service or working dogs are excepted. The bylaw does not define \"restricted area\" and the City does not list the parks, so ask Bylaw Enforcement.\n- Clean up after your dog right away, in any public place and on private property other than your own, and dispose of it sanitarily.\n- A bylaw notice for a dog at large is $200 ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 if paid late). A leash longer than 6 feet is $100 ($75 early; $125 late).\n- To report a loose dog, see the dog complaint answer.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/animal-control","title":"Animal control, City of Courtenay","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/parks-bylaw","title":"Parks and open spaces, City of Courtenay","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897 (consolidated July 2021) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf","title":"Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 7 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/dog-leash-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/dog-leash-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/dog-leash-rules.json"}}