Fruitvale dog leash rules and off-leash areas
Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules in Fruitvale?
Short answer
In Fruitvale, a dog in any public place must be on a leash of no more than 6 feet (1.83 m) held by a competent person. Dogs may be off leash only in areas marked by signs as off-leash areas, and under effective control. Owners must clean up after their dog.
Key facts
| Leash rule | In any public place a dog must be on a leash held by a competent person (one who can control or restrain it). Dogs may be off leash only in areas marked by signs as off-leash areas, and then only if under effective control and obeying commands.Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025, ss. 18, 20 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingThe Owner of a Dog must not allow the Dog to be in a public place unless the Dog is on a Leash the Owner of a Dog may allow the Dog to be off-leash in areas designated by signage as off-leash areas |
|---|---|
| Maximum leash length | Not more than 6 feet (1.83 m). A dangerous dog must be on a leash not over 2.4 m.Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025, Part 3 definition of "Leash"; s. 55 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingthat does not exceed 6 feet (1.83 metres) in length on a leash not exceeding 2.4 metres in length |
| Off-leash areas | Only areas designated by signs as off-leash areas.Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025, s. 20 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingareas designated by signage as off-leash areas |
| Places dogs are not allowed | No general ban found. A dangerous dog must not be on school grounds or within 30 metres of any playground apparatus.Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025, s. 57 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingA person must not allow a Dangerous Dog to be: a. on school grounds, b. within 30 metres of any playground apparatus. |
| Cleaning up | The owner must not let a dog defecate in a public place, or on someone else's private property unless the owner immediately removes the waste and disposes of it lawfully. Waste goes home or into a Village dog waste bin.Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025, ss. 29, 30 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingThe Owner of a Dog must not allow the Dog to defecate: a. in a public place; or Dog waste is to be taken to household and disposed of properly or in a designated dog waste bin provided by the Village. |
| Fine, dog at large or off leash | Bylaw notice: $100 (no compliance agreement). Municipal ticket: $250, or $200 if paid within 30 days. Bylaw 982 Appendix 2 lists Dog at Large at $30 within 10 days, $35 in 11 to 20 days, $50 in 21 to 30 days. In a park: uncontrolled dog $150 (bylaw notice).Sources differ: The three schedules disagree. Bylaw Notice Schedule A and the municipal ticket schedule still cite older bylaws (No. 922 and No. 728) that Bylaw 984 replaced.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 976, 2024, Schedule A, Animal Responsibility Bylaw (4B 18, 19, 20, 21); Parks Regulation Bylaw 13; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 921, Schedule 5, Dog Tax & Regulation Bylaw s. 11(c); Rates, Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 982, 2025, consolidated, Appendix 2, Penalties · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingDog at large $100 NO Uncontrolled dog $150 NO Dog at large 11 (c) 250 200 Dog at Large $30.00 $35.00 $50.00 |
| Bylaw | Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025, Part 4B (ss. 17 to 31).Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025, Part 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingThis Bylaw shall be known and cited for all purposes as “Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025”. |
How it works
The Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984 (Part 4B) sets the leash rules. In any public place a dog must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet (1.83 m), held by a competent person who can control or restrain it. A dog may be off leash only in an area marked by signs as an off-leash area, and then only if it is under effective control and obeys commands. A dog also may not trespass on private property.
Good to know
- The pages we read give no list or map of off-leash areas. Ask the Village Office at 250-367-7551 which areas are signed.
- Clean-up: do not let your dog defecate in a public place. On someone else's private property you must remove and dispose of the waste right away. Take it home or use a Village dog waste bin.
- A dangerous dog must be on a leash no longer than 2.4 m. It must not be on school grounds or within 30 metres of any playground apparatus.
- We found no general ban on dogs in Village parks or on beaches.
- A dog at large can bring a bylaw notice of $100 or a municipal ticket of $250 ($200 if paid within 30 days). In a park, an uncontrolled dog is $150 (bylaw notice). The Village's Rates, Fees and Charges Bylaw lists "dog at large" at $30, $35 or $50 by payment date. The schedules disagree and still cite older bylaws, so confirm with the Village.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Sources
- Animal Responsibility Bylaw No. 984, 2025 (PDF), Village of Fruitvale (read 2026-11-08)
- Rates, Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 982, 2025, consolidated (PDF), Village of Fruitvale (read 2026-11-08)
- Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 976, 2024 (PDF), Village of Fruitvale (read 2026-11-08)
- Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 921 (PDF), Village of Fruitvale (read 2026-11-08)
- Contact, Village of Fruitvale (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. How answers are checked.