---
title: Houston dog leash rules and off-leash areas
question: "Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?"
place: Houston, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/houston
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Houston
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/dog-leash-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/dog-leash-rules.json"
---

# Houston dog leash rules and off-leash areas

**Question:** Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?

**Short answer:** In Houston, a dog must be kept on its owner's property or on a leash. Houston has two fenced off-leash areas: Houston Dog Park and Four Seasons Park. Owners must remove dog feces from public and other private property.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Houston, https://houston.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice for a dog at large $150; dog off leash $100; failing to remove excrement $150. Municipal ticket schedule: dog at large $100; off leash $100; excrement $100.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- In person: Municipal Office, 3367 12th Street, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed statutory holidays)
- Phone: Municipal Office, 250-845-2238 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Online: Service Request Portal (bylaw complaints), https://houston.ca/community/service-requests/

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** A dog must be kept confined to its owner's premises or on a leash when off them. A dog "at large" (outside an enclosure and not leashed and under control on a highway, park or other public place) is not allowed, except a police dog or at a permitted event. Parks: dogs only in designated areas, on leash.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1112, 2018, Part 5, ss. 28, 29 and s. 1(7)](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145077/)
  - Official wording: "confined to the premises at which the person resides; or" … "fixed to a leash when the dog is off the premises at which the person resides." … "not leashed and under the control of the owner or another competent person"
  - Source: [Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 1034, 2013, Control of Animals in Parks, s. 7.0](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145461/)
  - Official wording: "Dogs shall be permitted to enter a park in designated areas only and only while they are on leash"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Maximum leash length:** None set. Houston's Animal Control Bylaw sets no leash length for ordinary dogs.
- **Off-leash areas:** Two fenced off-leash areas: Houston Dog Park and Four Seasons Park. Owners must carry a leash, keep the dog in view, and leash and remove it at once if it shows aggressive behaviour. Aggressive and dangerous dogs are not allowed off leash.
  - Source: [Animal Control, Off-Leash Areas](https://houston.ca/community/animal-control/)
  - Official wording: "Fenced, off-leash areas have been designated at these locations:" … "Houston Dog Park" … "Four Seasons Park"
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1112, 2018, Part 8, ss. 55, 56](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145077/)
  - Official wording: "except for an aggressive dog or a dangerous dog." … "carry a leash;" … "keep the dog in view at all times; and"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** In parks, dogs are allowed only in designated areas, and only on leash (off leash only in designated dog run areas).
  - Source: [Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 1034, 2013, Control of Animals in Parks, s. 7.0](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145461/)
  - Official wording: "Dogs shall be permitted to enter a park in designated areas only and only while they are on leash" … "Dogs may be off leash in designated dog run areas only."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Cleaning up:** The owner must remove dog feces immediately from any public or private property other than the owner's premises, and must carry something suitable to remove it whenever the dog is off the owner's property.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1112, 2018, Part 5, ss. 34, 35](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145077/)
  - Official wording: "the Owner must remove the feces immediately." … "An owner of a dog must carry a suitable means of removing dog feces on their person while"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Bylaw notice: dog at large $150; dog off-leash $100 (early payment $112.50 and $75; after 28 days $187.50 and $125). Municipal ticket schedule: dog at large $100; dog off-leash $100.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Amendment Bylaw No. 1230, 2026, Schedule A, Schedule A, Animal Control Bylaw No. 1112, 2018](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/144929/)
  - Official wording: "Dog at Large $150.0 $112.50 $187.50" … "Dog Off-Leash $100.00 $75.00 $125.00"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Amendment Bylaw No. 1129, 2019, Schedule B10, ss. 28(1), 29 and 28(2)](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145065/)
  - Official wording: "Dog at Large 28(1 ), 29 $100.00" … "Dog Off-Leash 28(2) $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 1112, 2018 (Parts 5 and 8), and Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 1034, 2013 for parks.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1112, 2018, Parts 5 and 8](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145077/)
  - Official wording: "Control of Dogs" … "Dogs may be Off Leash"
  - Source: [Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 1034, 2013, s. 7.0](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145461/)
  - Official wording: "CONTROL OF ANIMALS IN PARKS"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under the [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1112](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145077/), a dog must be kept confined to its owner's premises or on a leash when off them. A dog is "at large" if it is outside an enclosure and not leashed and under control on a highway, park or other public place. Police dogs and permitted events are excepted. Under the [Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 1034](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145461/), dogs are allowed in parks only in designated areas, on a leash. They may be off leash only in designated dog run areas.

## Good to know

- **Off-leash areas:** Houston Dog Park and Four Seasons Park are fenced. Carry a leash, keep your dog in view, and leash it and remove it at once if it shows aggressive behaviour. Aggressive and dangerous dogs are not allowed off leash.
- **Leash length:** the bylaw sets no length for ordinary dogs. Aggressive and dangerous dogs must be on a leash of no more than one metre, held by someone 18 or older.
- **Clean up:** you must remove feces immediately from any public property or private property other than your own, and carry something to do it whenever your dog is off your property.
- **Banned places:** the Animal Control Bylaw has no list of places dogs are banned. Ask the Municipal Office (250-845-2238) which park areas are designated.
- Bylaw notices have early-payment amounts ($112.50 for a $150 notice) and later amounts ($187.50).

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/community/animal-control/)
- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1112, 2018 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145077/)
- [Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 1034, 2013 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145461/)

## Related questions

- [Houston dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/dog-licence.md)
- [Houston rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Houston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/how-many-pets.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Smithers](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Kitimat](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/community/animal-control/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact Us, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/contact/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1112, 2018 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145077/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 1034, 2013 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145461/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Amendment Bylaw No. 1230, 2026, Schedule A (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/144929/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Amendment Bylaw No. 1129, 2019 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145065/) (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 is recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Houston. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/dog-leash-rules/_