{"title":"Port Alberni dog leash rules and off-leash areas","question":"Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?","slug":"dog-leash-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/port-alberni","name":"Port Alberni","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"pets-and-wildlife","name":"Pets, animals and wildlife"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"City of Port Alberni","url":"https://www.portalberni.ca"},"short_answer":"In Port Alberni, a dog in a public place must be on a leash, chain or tether no longer than 183 cm (6 feet) and under a competent person's control. The City names one off-leash park, on Beaver Creek Road. A dog at large or off leash is a $100 bylaw notice.","aliases":["off leash dog park port alberni","dog leash bylaw port alberni","beaver creek road dog park","pick up dog poop port alberni"],"cost":"Bylaw notice $100 for a dog at large and $100 for a dog off leash ($75 if paid within 14 days; $125 if paid late).","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"250-720-2831"},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"bylaw@portalberni.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Control and Wildlife, City of Port Alberni","url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/animal-control-and-wildlife"},{"title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 5126, 2025 (PDF)","url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5126_5126-1_5126-2_Animal%20Control%20and%20Pound%20Bylaw%20No.%205126%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Port Alberni dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"dangerous-dogs","title":"Port Alberni rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/dangerous-dogs/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/qualicum-beach","name":"Qualicum Beach","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/parksville","name":"Parksville","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cumberland","name":"Cumberland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/comox","name":"Comox","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/courtenay","name":"Courtenay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lantzville","name":"Lantzville","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/dog-leash-rules/"}],"topic":{"title":"Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules/"},"facts":{"leash_rule":{"label":"Leash rule","value":"In a public place (highways and City property) a dog must be on a leash, chain or tether and under the immediate care and control of a competent person. A dog must not be at large. The City page exempts the off-leash park on Beaver Creek Road.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5126_5126-1_5126-2_Animal%20Control%20and%20Pound%20Bylaw%20No.%205126%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 5126, 2025 (consolidated, includes 5126-2) (PDF)","section":"s. 17(b)-(c)","quotes":["be in a public place unless the dog is kept on a leash, chain or tether not exceeding 183 centimetres (six feet) in length and the dog is under the immediate care and control of a competent person","be at large in the City"]},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5126_5126-1_5126-2_Animal%20Control%20and%20Pound%20Bylaw%20No.%205126%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 5126, 2025 (consolidated, includes 5126-2) (PDF)","section":"s. 2","quotes":["in or upon a highway or public place"]},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/animal-control-and-wildlife","title":"Animal Control and Wildlife, City of Port Alberni","section":"Dog rules","quotes":["except in the off-leash park located on Beaver Creek Road"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"leash_length":{"label":"Maximum leash length","value":"183 cm (6 feet) at most.","short":"183 cm","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5126_5126-1_5126-2_Animal%20Control%20and%20Pound%20Bylaw%20No.%205126%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 5126, 2025 (consolidated, includes 5126-2) (PDF)","section":"s. 17(c)","quotes":["not exceeding 183 centimetres (six feet) in length"]},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/animal-control-and-wildlife","title":"Animal Control and Wildlife, City of Port Alberni","section":"Dog rules","quotes":["not exceeding 183 cm (6ft) in length"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"off_leash_areas":{"label":"Off-leash areas","value":"The off-leash park on Beaver Creek Road, per the City's Animal Control page.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/animal-control-and-wildlife","title":"Animal Control and Wildlife, City of Port Alberni","section":"Dog rules","quotes":["except in the off-leash park located on Beaver Creek Road"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"dogs_not_allowed":{"label":"Places dogs are not allowed","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"scanned","note":"Park rules may be in the Parks Bylaw, which has no readable text.","sources":[]},"clean_up":{"label":"Cleaning up","value":"The person with care or control of the animal must immediately remove its excrement from a highway or public place and dispose of it in a sanitary manner.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5126_5126-1_5126-2_Animal%20Control%20and%20Pound%20Bylaw%20No.%205126%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 5126, 2025 (consolidated, includes 5126-2) (PDF)","section":"s. 20","quotes":["the person having care, custody, or control of the animal shall immediately remove the excrement so deposited and dispose of it in a sanitary manner"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine_at_large":{"label":"Fine, dog at large or off leash","value":"Bylaw notice: $100 for a dog at large and $100 for a dog off leash ($75 if paid within 14 days; $125 if paid late).","short":"Notice $100 ($75 if paid in 14 days)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5128%2C%205128-1_Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20No.%205128%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 5128, 2025 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"Schedule A-2, s. 17(b)-(c)","quotes":["Dog at large $100.00 $75.00 $125.00","Dog off-leash $100.00 $75.00 $125.00"]},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/fees-and-charges-animal-control-and-licensing","title":"Fees and Charges - Animal Control and Licensing, City of Port Alberni","section":"Fines and Tickets","quotes":["Dog at large | 17b | $100.00"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw, No. 5126, 2025","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5126_5126-1_5126-2_Animal%20Control%20and%20Pound%20Bylaw%20No.%205126%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 5126, 2025 (consolidated, includes 5126-2) (PDF)","section":"s. 1","quotes":["Animal Control and Pound Bylaw, No. 5126, 2025"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":7,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":1},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 5126](<https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5126_5126-1_5126-2_Animal%20Control%20and%20Pound%20Bylaw%20No.%205126%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf>) says a dog in a public place (a highway or City property) must be on a leash, chain or tether not longer than 183 cm (6 feet) and under the immediate care and control of a competent person. A dog must not be \"at large\". The only off-leash area the City's Animal Control page names is the off-leash park on Beaver Creek Road; the bylaw text itself has no off-leash exception.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Whoever has care or control of the dog must immediately remove its excrement from a highway or public place and dispose of it in a sanitary manner.\n- A bylaw notice is $100 for a dog at large and $100 for a dog off leash ($75 if paid within 14 days, $125 if paid late), under the [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 5128](<https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5128%2C%205128-1_Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20No.%205128%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf>).\n- The City page gives no park name, map, fencing or hours for the off-leash park.\n- The Animal Control and Pound Bylaw does not list places where dogs are banned. Park-specific rules may be in the Parks Bylaw No. 5121, whose text could not be read; ask Bylaw Services at 250-720-2831.\n- Questions or complaints: Bylaw Services, 250-720-2831.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/animal-control-and-wildlife","title":"Animal Control and Wildlife, City of Port Alberni","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/fees-and-charges-animal-control-and-licensing","title":"Fees and Charges - Animal Control and Licensing, City of Port Alberni","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5126_5126-1_5126-2_Animal%20Control%20and%20Pound%20Bylaw%20No.%205126%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf","title":"Animal Control and Pound Bylaw No. 5126, 2025 (consolidated, includes 5126-2) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/5128%2C%205128-1_Bylaw%20Notice%20Enforcement%20Bylaw%20No.%205128%2C%202025_Consolidated.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 5128, 2025 (consolidated) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"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."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/dog-leash-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/dog-leash-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/dog-leash-rules.json"}}