Ladysmith dog leash rules and off-leash areas
Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?
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.
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.Dog Off Leash Parks and Trails, Dog Off Leash page; Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933, s. 7(4) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingall dogs must be on a leash in the Town of Ladysmith keep the dog under effective control at all times, |
|---|---|
| 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.Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933, s. 7(4)(b); Dog Licences, Restricted Dogs · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingfirmly held on a leash not exceeding 2.4 m in length, or a retractable lead not exceeding 8 m in length when fully extended The leash must be no longer than six (6) feet |
| 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.Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933, Schedule A; Dog Off Leash Parks and Trails, Dog Off Leash page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingDog 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 Davis Road Dog Park Heart Lake & Stocking Lake Loops providing five dog off-leash areas. |
| 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.Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933, s. 7(6); Dog Off Leash Parks and Trails, No Dogs Allowed Areas; Dog FAQ · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo 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 Playgrounds | Sports Fields | Cemetery Dogs are not permitted on First Avenue during street closures |
| 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.Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933, s. 7(4)(e); Dog Off Leash Parks and Trails, Off-leash park rules · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingensure that the dog does not defecate within the Park unless the excrement Pick up after your dog and dispose of waste in a waste container. |
| 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.Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933, title; Dog Licences, Licensing Your Dog · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingParks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933 Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2026, No. 2238 |
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 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
The same question in other places
North Cowichan · Duncan · Lake Cowichan · Nanaimo · Lantzville · North Saanich
Sources
- Frequently Requested Bylaws (read 2026-11-06)
- Dog Off Leash Parks and Trails, Town of Ladysmith (read 2026-11-06)
- Parks Usage Bylaw 2017, No. 1933 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
- Dog Licences, Town of Ladysmith (read 2026-11-06)
- Dog FAQ, Town of Ladysmith (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
- Animal Responsibility Bylaw 2026, No. 2238 (PDF, scanned, no readable text) (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. How answers are checked.