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

# Pouce Coupe dog leash rules and off-leash areas

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

**Short answer:** In Pouce Coupe, a dog must be on a leash whenever it is not on its owner's property. The bylaw names no off-leash areas. Owners must clean up after their dog. A dog at large is a $100 ticket.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Pouce Coupe, https://www.poucecoupe.ca)  
**Cost:** Ticket for a dog at large or not on a leash: $100 ($200 if a female dog in heat is at large).  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement / Animal Control Officer, 250-719-6081
- Email: Bylaw Enforcement, bylaw@poucecoupe.ca
- Phone: Village Office, 250-786-5794

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** A dog must be on a leash whenever it is not on the owner's property. A dog is "at large" if it is off the owner's property and not on a leash, or is uncontained and not under the immediate charge and control of the owner or a competent person.
  - Source: [Animal Control & Licensing Bylaw No. 1005, 2018, s. 3 (At Large; Running at large)](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/16840/)
  - Official wording: "All dogs must be on a leash when not on the property of the owner" … "Means an animal that is not on the property of the owner and not on a leash."
  - Source: [Animal Control & Licensing Bylaw No. 1005, 2018, s. 8(2)](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/16840/)
  - Official wording: "The owner of a dog will, at all times when the dog is on the owner's property, keep the dog securely confined on the property by keeping the dog indoors, or within a fenced area sufficient to prevent the dog from leaving the property."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Maximum leash length:** No general maximum leash length is set. Dangerous, high-risk and vicious dogs in public must be on a leash not more than 1 m long, held by a competent person.
  - Source: [Animal Control & Licensing Bylaw No. 1005, 2018, s. 11.1 (Vicious Dogs)](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/16840/)
  - Official wording: "leash not exceeding 1 m in length, and muzzled by a properly fitted humane device"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Off-leash areas:** Not confirmed. Neither the bylaw nor the Village's pages name any off-leash areas.
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** None set. Pouce Coupe's Parks and Open Spaces Bylaw does not ban dogs from any place.
- **Cleaning up:** An owner may not let a dog defecate on any public place, park or private property other than the owner's unless the owner immediately removes the feces and disposes of them in a sanitary manner.
  - Source: [Animal Control & Licensing Bylaw No. 1005, 2018, s. 17(1)](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/16840/)
  - Official wording: "No owner shall allow or suffer any dog to defecate on any public place, park or private property other than the property of the owner, unless the owner shall immediately take steps to remove such feces, and dispose of the same in a sanitary manner."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** $100 for a dog at large (s. 8(1)) or not on a leash or under control (s. 8(2)). $200 if a female dog in heat is at large. Repeat offences cost more, but the schedule lists s. 8(1) under both a $200 and a $400 second-offence row.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1052, 2025, Schedule B (Animal Control)](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/46964/)
  - Official wording: "Allow an intact animal to run at large 8(1) $100.00" … "Fail to keep on leash/under control 8(2) $100.00" … "Allow a female dog to be at large while in heat 8(1) $200.00" … "For a second offence under S. 4(1), 6(1)-(3)(5), 8(1)-(2), 9(5)(6), 19(3) $200.00" … "Fail to keep on leash/under control" … "For a second offence under S. 9(1), 8(1), 10(1), 11(4)" … "For a second offence under S. 4(1), 6(1)-(3)(5), 8(1)-(2), 9(5)(6),"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control & Licensing Bylaw No. 1005, 2018 (consolidated with amending bylaws 1064 and 1078, 2025)
  - Source: [Animal Control & Licensing Bylaw No. 1005, 2018, s. 1](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/16840/)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as Animal Control & Licensing Bylaw No. 1005, 2018."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under the [Animal Control & Licensing Bylaw No. 1005](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/16840/), a dog in Pouce Coupe is "at large" if it is off its owner's property and not on a leash, or if it is uncontained and not under the immediate charge and control of the owner or another competent person. On the owner's property, the dog must be kept securely confined, indoors or in a fenced area that stops it leaving.

## Good to know

- No general maximum leash length is set. Dangerous, high-risk and vicious dogs in public must be on a leash no longer than 1 m, held by a competent person.
- The bylaw and the Village's pages name no off-leash areas, and no places where dogs are banned. Ask the Village Office, 250-786-5794.
- Do not let your dog defecate on a public place, park or other people's property unless you immediately remove the feces and dispose of them in a sanitary manner.
- A dog in the rear of an open vehicle on a highway or public place must be on a leash or other suitable device.
- A dog at large, or one not on a leash or under control, is a $100 ticket. A female dog in heat at large is $200. Repeat offences cost more.
- To report a dog, send a written complaint with your name, address and phone number using the Report a Concern or Bylaw Complaint form on the Village website, or contact bylaw@poucecoupe.ca or 250-719-6081.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control & Licensing Bylaw No. 1005, 2018 (PDF)](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/16840/)

## Related questions

- [Pouce Coupe dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/dog-licence.md)
- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Pouce Coupe](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/how-many-pets.md)
- [Pouce Coupe rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Pouce Coupe bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Dawson Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Fort St. John](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Chetwynd](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Tumbler Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tumbler-ridge/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Mackenzie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Prince George](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control & Licensing Bylaw No. 1005, 2018 (PDF), Village of Pouce Coupe](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/16840/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1052, 2025 (PDF), Village of Pouce Coupe](https://poucecoupe.civicweb.net/document/46964/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, Village of Pouce Coupe](https://poucecoupe.ca/government/bylaws/bylaw-enforcement/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact, Village of Pouce Coupe](https://poucecoupe.ca/contact/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Pouce Coupe. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/dog-leash-rules/_