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

# Midway dog leash rules and off-leash areas

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

**Short answer:** In Midway, a dog off its owner's property must be on a leash or under a responsible person's immediate control. The leash can be no longer than 366 cm (12 feet). The Village's bylaw and website name no off-leash areas.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Midway, https://www.midwaybc.ca)  
**Cost:** Penalty schedule in the bylaw: $50 first offence, $100 second, $200 third.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement Officer, 250-449-8353
- Email: Bylaw Enforcement Officer, midwaybylaw@shaw.ca
- Phone: Village Office, 250-449-2222

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** A dog is 'at large' (banned) when it is off the owner's land, not under a responsible person's immediate control and not on a leash (as written, all three together). A female dog in heat must be confined or on a leash off the property. No animals in Village playgrounds or sports fields.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012, s. 3 (At Large), s. 6](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BYLAW-438-2012-Midway-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "means being elsewhere than on the lands or premises of the Owner of the Animal, and is not under the immediate control of a responsible person, and with respect to a Dog, not on a Leash" … "The Owner of a Dog, Cat or Animal must not allow or permit the Dog, Cat or Animal to be At Large in the Village."
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012, s. 22](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BYLAW-438-2012-Midway-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "keep the Dog on a Leash while it is off the Owner’s property"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Maximum leash length:** Not more than 366 cm (12 feet).
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012, s. 3 (Leash)](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BYLAW-438-2012-Midway-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "that does not exceed 366 centimeters (12 feet) in length"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Off-leash areas:** Not confirmed. The bylaw and the Village website do not name any off-leash area.
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** Designated playground and sports field areas belonging to the Village, whether the animal is leashed or at large, unless the Village gave written permission for a sanctioned event.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012, s. 10](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BYLAW-438-2012-Midway-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No animal leashed or at large, is permitted in designated playground or sports field areas belonging to the Village of Midway"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Cleaning up:** An owner must immediately remove and sanitarily dispose of excrement the animal leaves on any public place or on private property other than the owner's. A disabled person is not liable if no one is present to help them remove an assistance dog's excrement.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012, s. 7](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BYLAW-438-2012-Midway-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "must not allow or permit the Dog, Cat or Animal to leave or 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"
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012, s. 41(a)](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BYLAW-438-2012-Midway-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A disabled person shall not be liable for penalties under this bylaw for failing to remove excrement left or deposited by their assistance dog"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Bylaw 438 Schedule A penalties: $50 for a first offence (and for later offences more than 12 months after the first), $100 for a second, $200 for a third.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012, Schedule A, Penalties](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BYLAW-438-2012-Midway-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "greater than 12 months $ 50.00" … "Second offence 100.00" … "Third offence 200.00"
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012, s. 42](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BYLAW-438-2012-Midway-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "upon summary conviction be liable to a penalty of not less than $50.00 and more than $2,000.00 plus the costs of the prosecution"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Midway Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012, s. 1](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BYLAW-438-2012-Midway-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Village of Midway Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BYLAW-438-2012-Midway-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf) bans dogs "at large". A dog is at large when it is off the owner's land, not under a responsible person's immediate control and not on a leash. A leash may be no longer than 366 cm (12 feet). A female dog in heat must be confined, or on a leash if off the property.

## Good to know

- The bylaw and the Village's website do not name any off-leash area or dog park. Ask the Village Office (250-449-2222) if you want to know about one.
- No animals are allowed in Village playgrounds or sports fields, leashed or not, unless the Village gave written permission for a sanctioned event.
- You must immediately remove and sanitarily dispose of your animal's excrement from any public place or from private property that is not yours. A disabled person is not liable if no one is there to help them remove an assistance dog's excrement.
- The bylaw's penalty schedule is $50 for a first offence, $100 for a second and $200 for a third. It does not say which offences those cover.
- Report a loose dog to the Bylaw Enforcement Officer at 250-449-8353 or midwaybylaw@shaw.ca.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012 (PDF), Village of Midway](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BYLAW-438-2012-Midway-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Midway dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/dog-licence.md)
- [Midway rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Midway](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/how-many-pets.md)
- [Midway noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/noise-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Grand Forks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Osoyoos](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Oliver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oliver/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Rossland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Keremeos](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Penticton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 438, 2012 (PDF), Village of Midway](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BYLAW-438-2012-Midway-Animal-Control-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaws and Policies, Village of Midway](https://midwaybc.ca/bylaws-policies/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Village Office, Village of Midway](https://midwaybc.ca/village-office/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Enforcement Complaint Form (PDF), Village of Midway](https://midwaybc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2024-Complaint-Primary-Letter.pdf) (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 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Midway. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/dog-leash-rules/_