--- title: Ladysmith dog leash rules and off-leash areas question: "Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?" place: Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/ladysmith category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: Town of Ladysmith sources_read: 2026-11-06 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/dog-leash-rules/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/dog-leash-rules.json" --- # Ladysmith dog leash rules and off-leash areas **Question:** Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules? **Short answer:** In Ladysmith, dogs must be on a leash everywhere except designated off-leash areas and private property. In parks the leash can be up to 2.4 m, or a retractable lead up to 8 m. The Parks bylaw and the Town's off-leash page list different off-leash areas, so both are given below. **Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Ladysmith, https://www.ladysmith.ca) **Cost:** The fine for a dog at large is not stated in readable text; ask the Town. The Town's off-leash page says a maximum fine of $200 can be levied for not following the off-leash park rules. **How long:** Not applicable. **Where:** - Phone: Town Hall, 250-245-6400 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) - Phone: Bylaw Compliance, 250-245-6446 - Phone: Coastal Animal Control Services, 1-888-754-1397 ## Key facts - **Leash rule:** All dogs must be on a leash everywhere in town except designated off-leash areas and private property. In parks a dog must be under effective control at all times and firmly held on a leash. - Source: [Dog Off Leash Parks and Trails, Dog Off Leash page](https://www.ladysmith.ca/parks-recreation-culture/dog-off-leash-parks-trails) - Official wording: "all dogs must be on a leash in the Town of Ladysmith" - Source: [Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933, s. 7(4)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1933-parks-usage.pdf) - Official wording: "keep the dog under effective control at all times," - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Maximum leash length:** In parks: a leash up to 2.4 m, or a retractable lead up to 8 m when fully extended. Restricted-breed dogs: leash no longer than six feet. - Source: [Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933, s. 7(4)(b)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1933-parks-usage.pdf) - Official wording: "firmly held on a leash not exceeding 2.4 m in length, or" … "a retractable lead not exceeding 8 m in length when fully extended" - Source: [Dog Licences, Restricted Dogs](https://www.ladysmith.ca/our-services/pets-animals/dog-licences) - Official wording: "The leash must be no longer than six (6) feet" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Off-leash areas:** Parks Usage Bylaw Schedule A lists, year round: Davis Road Fenced Dog Park, Transfer Beach Park (signed area above deKoninck Way), Mackie Park, Holland Creek Trail and Gourlay-Janes Park. The Town's Dog Off Leash page (with map) differs: it omits Mackie Park and adds Heart Lake and Stocking Lake loops. (Sources differ: Lists differ: the Town's web page also names Heart Lake and Stocking Lake loops as off-leash trails and does not list Mackie Park; the older dog FAQ also names the Arbutus Ridge Trail. Value follows the Parks Usage Bylaw schedule (consolidated July 13, 2026). Web page: five off-leash areas; owners must carry a leash; leashed dogs not allowed in the off-leash parks.) - Source: [Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933, Schedule A](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1933-parks-usage.pdf) - Official wording: "Dog Off Leash Areas and Times [Section 7(5)]" … "Davis Road Fenced Dog Park" … "Mackie Park Year Round" … "Holland Creek Trail Year Round" … "Gourlay-Janes Park Year Round" - Source: [Dog Off Leash Parks and Trails, Dog Off Leash page](https://www.ladysmith.ca/parks-recreation-culture/dog-off-leash-parks-trails) - Official wording: "Davis Road Dog Park" … "Heart Lake & Stocking Lake Loops" … "providing five dog off-leash areas." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Places dogs are not allowed:** Playgrounds, the playing area of sports fields, and Transfer Beach Park below deKoninck Way (including the amphitheatre and beach). The Town's page also lists the cemetery. Dogs are not permitted on First Avenue during street closures for public events. - Source: [Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933, s. 7(6)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1933-parks-usage.pdf) - Official wording: "No person shall cause or allow a dog to enter or be in any playground," … "area of any sports field, or within Transfer Beach Park below deKoninck Way" - Source: [Dog Off Leash Parks and Trails, No Dogs Allowed Areas](https://www.ladysmith.ca/parks-recreation-culture/dog-off-leash-parks-trails) - Official wording: "Playgrounds | Sports Fields | Cemetery" - Source: [Dog FAQ](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/brochures-other-publications-2021/dog-faq.pdf) - Official wording: "Dogs are not permitted on First Avenue during street closures" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Cleaning up:** In parks, a dog must not defecate unless the excrement is immediately removed and disposed of in a lawful manner. The Town's off-leash park rules also say to pick up after your dog and dispose of waste in a waste container. - Source: [Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933, s. 7(4)(e)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1933-parks-usage.pdf) - Official wording: "ensure that the dog does not defecate within the Park unless the excrement" - Source: [Dog Off Leash Parks and Trails, Off-leash park rules](https://www.ladysmith.ca/parks-recreation-culture/dog-off-leash-parks-trails) - Official wording: "Pick up after your dog and dispose of waste in a waste container." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Not confirmed. The new Animal Responsibility Bylaw is not readable online, so the fine for a dog at large is not known. - **Bylaw:** Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933 (dogs in parks). The Town's dog bylaw is the Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2026, No. 2238. - Source: [Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933, title](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1933-parks-usage.pdf) - Official wording: "Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933" - Source: [Dog Licences, Licensing Your Dog](https://www.ladysmith.ca/our-services/pets-animals/dog-licences) - Official wording: "Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2026, No. 2238" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works In Ladysmith, all dogs must be on a leash everywhere in town except in designated off-leash areas and on private property. This comes from the Town's dog page; the Town's dog bylaw is the [Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2026, No. 2238](), whose text isn't readable online. In parks, the [Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933]() says a dog must be under effective control and firmly held on a leash. The leash can be up to 2.4 m, or a retractable lead up to 8 m when fully extended. ## Off-leash areas - Parks Usage Bylaw, Schedule A, year round: Davis Road Fenced Dog Park, Transfer Beach Park (the signed area above deKoninck Way), Mackie Park, Holland Creek Trail and Gourlay-Janes Park. - The Town's [Dog Off Leash page](https://www.ladysmith.ca/parks-recreation-culture/dog-off-leash-parks-trails) has a map. It does not list Mackie Park and adds the Heart Lake and Stocking Lake loops. ## Where dogs are not allowed Playgrounds, the playing area of sports fields, and Transfer Beach Park below deKoninck Way (including the amphitheatre and beach). The Town's page also lists the cemetery. Dogs are not permitted on First Avenue during street closures for public events. ## Good to know - In parks, a dog may not defecate unless you immediately remove the waste and dispose of it lawfully. - Restricted-breed dogs must be on a leash no longer than six feet. - A leash length for streets outside parks is not stated in the text we read. - The fine for a dog at large under the new bylaw is not known. Ask the Town (250-245-6400). The 2021 ticket schedule lists a dog fine under the old dog bylaw; do not treat it as current. ## Official forms and pages - [Dog Off Leash Parks and Trails, Town of Ladysmith](https://www.ladysmith.ca/parks-recreation-culture/dog-off-leash-parks-trails) - [Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933 (PDF)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1933-parks-usage.pdf) ## Related questions - [Ladysmith dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/dog-licence.md) - [Ladysmith rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/dangerous-dogs.md) - [Ladysmith bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/bylaw-fines.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md) - [North Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Duncan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Lake Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/dog-leash-rules.md) - [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/dog-leash-rules.md) ## Sources - [Frequently Requested Bylaws](https://www.ladysmith.ca/city-hall/city-departments/bylaws/frequently-requested-bylaws) (read 2026-11-06) - [Dog Off Leash Parks and Trails, Town of Ladysmith](https://www.ladysmith.ca/parks-recreation-culture/dog-off-leash-parks-trails) (read 2026-11-06) - [Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933 (PDF)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/1933-parks-usage.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Dog Licences, Town of Ladysmith](https://www.ladysmith.ca/our-services/pets-animals/dog-licences) (read 2026-11-06) - [Dog FAQ, Town of Ladysmith (PDF)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/brochures-other-publications-2021/dog-faq.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2026, No. 2238 (PDF, scanned, no readable text)](https://www.ladysmith.ca/docs/default-source/bylaws-2021/2238-animal-responsibility-bylaw-2026_redacted.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Town of Ladysmith. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/dog-leash-rules/_