--- title: Powell River dog leash rules and off-leash areas question: "Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?" place: Powell River, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/powell-river category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: City of Powell River sources_read: 2026-11-05 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/dog-leash-rules/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/dog-leash-rules.json" --- # Powell River dog leash rules and off-leash areas **Question:** Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules? **Short answer:** In the City of Powell River, off your own property a dog must be on a leash no longer than 2 metres on any street or public place. The City names one off-leash area, the fenced dog park off Duncan Street. Dogs are banned from Willingdon Beach Park and Mowat Bay Park from May 1 to September 15. **Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Powell River, https://powellriver.ca) **Where:** - Phone: Report a dog off leash (weekdays), 604-485-8600 (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) - Email: Animal Control, animalcontrol@powellriver.ca ## Key facts - **Leash rule:** Off your own property, a dog must be on a leash or tether and under the immediate care and control of a competent person on any highway or public place. No animal may run at large. Off-leash is allowed only in designated off-leash areas. - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw 1979, 2003 (consolidated June 8, 2020), ss. 14, 15](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/89109) - Official wording: "No person shall permit any animal to be running at large in the City." … "No person shall permit a dog to be on a highway or public place unless the dog is kept on a leash or tether" - Source: [Animal Control, Running at Large](https://powellriver.ca/pages/animal-control) - Official wording: "all dogs be kept on a leash and under the control of the owner when on public property, excluding off-leash parks" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Maximum leash length:** 2 metres (the bylaw says a leash or tether not exceeding two metres in length). - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw 1979, 2003 (consolidated June 8, 2020), s. 15](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/89109) - Official wording: "a leash or tether not exceeding two metres in length" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Off-leash areas:** A fenced dog off-leash park off Duncan Street, reached by the access way next to the Mother Nature store. It has two sections; owners must keep control of their dogs and carry a leash. - Source: [Animal Control, Off-Leash Park](https://powellriver.ca/pages/animal-control) - Official wording: "the fenced dog off-leash park, located off Duncan Street, with the access way adjacent to Mother Nature store" … "Dogs must remain under their owner’s control and that owners carry a leash with them at all times" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Places dogs are not allowed:** No animals, including dogs, even on a leash: Willingdon Beach Park and Mowat Bay Park from May 1 to September 15 each year; Willingdon Beach Walkway and Fishing Float all year. - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw 1979, 2003 (consolidated June 8, 2020), s. 19; Sch. C](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/89109) - Official wording: "Willingdon Beach Park May 1st to September 15th inclusive in each year" … "Willingdon Beach Walkway and Fishing Float All Year" … "Mowat Bay Park May 1st to September 15th inclusive in each year" - Source: [Animal Control, Areas Where Dogs are Prohibited](https://powellriver.ca/pages/animal-control) - Official wording: "Willingdon Beach Walkway and Float – All Year" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Cleaning up:** The person in care of the animal must immediately remove its excrement from a highway or public place and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw 1979, 2003 (consolidated June 8, 2020), ss. 26, 27](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/89109) - Official wording: "No person shall permit any animal to defecate upon any highway or public place." … "shall immediately remove the excrement so deposited and dispose of it in a sanitary manner" - Source: [Animal Control, Dogs in Parks](https://powellriver.ca/pages/animal-control) - Official wording: "expected to pick up after their pets immediately" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Bylaw notice: $100 for an animal at large and $100 for a dog not leashed or tethered (each with a $20 discount if paid within 14 days and a $20 surcharge if paid after 28 days). Municipal ticket: $100 each. - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2818, 2026, App. 1, ss. 14, 15](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/159841) - Official wording: "14 Animal at large $100 $20 $20" … "15 Dog not leashed or tethered $100 $20 $20" … "if Paid within 14 days of the bylaw notice being received" - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2818, 2026, s. 7, Sch. A](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/159841) - Official wording: "if Paid within 14 days of the bylaw notice being received" … "the amount of the surcharge in Column A3 of Schedule "A" shall be due" - Source: [Municipal Ticketing Information Bylaw 2572, 2019 (consolidated January 2022), Sch. 2](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/67966) - Official wording: "Animal at large 14 $ 100.00" … "Dog not leashed or tethered 15 $ 100.00" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** City of Powell River Animal Control Bylaw No. 1979, 2003 - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw 1979, 2003 (consolidated June 8, 2020), s. 1](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/89109) - Official wording: "City of Powell River Animal Control Bylaw No.1979, 2003" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works Under the [Animal Control Bylaw](), off your own property a dog must be on a leash or tether, no longer than 2 metres, and under the immediate care and control of a competent person on any street or public place. No animal may run at large. Off-leash is allowed only in designated off-leash areas. ## Steps 1. Keep your dog on a leash of 2 metres or less in public. 2. To let it run free, use the fenced dog off-leash park off Duncan Street, reached by the access way next to the Mother Nature store. It has two sections. Keep control of your dog and carry a leash. 3. Pick up after your dog right away. The person in care of the animal must remove its excrement from a street or public place and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. ## Good to know - No animals, even on a leash, are allowed at Willingdon Beach Park and Mowat Bay Park from May 1 to September 15 each year, or at Willingdon Beach Walkway and Fishing Float all year. - In parks that permit leashed dogs, the City page says to keep dogs on the sidewalk or trails. - The City page names no other off-leash areas and links no map. Ask the City if you are unsure. - A bylaw notice is $100 for an animal at large and $100 for a dog not leashed or tethered ($20 discount if paid within 14 days; $20 surcharge if paid after 28 days). A municipal ticket is $100 for each. - Report a dog off leash to Bylaw Enforcement at 604-485-8600. ## Official forms and pages - [Animal Control, City of Powell River](https://powellriver.ca/pages/animal-control) - [Animal Control Bylaw 1979, 2003 (consolidated)](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/89109) ## Related questions - [Powell River dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/dog-licence.md) - [Powell River rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/dangerous-dogs.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/dog-leash-rules.md) - [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/dog-leash-rules.md) ## Sources - [Animal Control, City of Powell River](https://powellriver.ca/pages/animal-control) (read 2026-11-05) - [Animal Control Bylaw 1979, 2003 (consolidated June 8, 2020)](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/89109) (read 2026-11-05) - [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2818, 2026](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/159841) (read 2026-11-05) - [Municipal Ticketing Information Bylaw 2572, 2019 (consolidated January 2022)](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/67966) (read 2026-11-05) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 7 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Powell River. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/dog-leash-rules/_