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

# Princeton dog leash rules and off-leash areas

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

**Short answer:** In Princeton, a dog in a public place must be on a leash, chain or tether no longer than 2 m and under the care of a competent person. A dog at large is an offence. The Town does not name any off-leash areas.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Princeton, https://www.princeton.ca)  
**Cost:** Ticket for a dog at large: $100. Ticket for a dog off leash: $100.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 778-720-6114 or 250-295-3135 (Town Hall hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Email: Bylaw Services, bylaw@princeton.ca
- In person: Bylaw office (The Annex), 231 Bridge Street, Princeton, BC

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** In a public place a dog must be on a leash, chain or tether not over 2 m and under the immediate care and control of a competent person. A dog at large (off leash in a public place or on another person's land without consent) is an offence. The Town page says dogs must be leashed outside the residence or fenced yard.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 782, 2006, s. 14(c)](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/163/)
  - Official wording: "be in a public place unless the dog is kept on a leash, chain or tether not exceeding two (2) meters in length and the dog is under the immediate care and control of a competent person" … "a dog, while not secured on a leash by a competent person, in or upon a highway or public place" … "be at large in the Town;"
  - Source: [Dog licensing](https://www.princeton.ca/p/dog-licencing)
  - Official wording: "All dogs must be on a leash and in full control of a competent person when outside of a residence or fenced yard while in the municipality of Princeton."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Maximum leash length:** 2 metres (6.6 ft) at most.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 782, 2006, s. 14(c)](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/163/)
  - Official wording: "on a leash, chain or tether not exceeding two (2) meters in length"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Off-leash areas:** Not confirmed. Neither the bylaw nor the Town's pages name any off-leash areas.
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** Not confirmed. Neither the bylaw nor the Town's pages name places where dogs are banned.
- **Cleaning up:** If a dog defecates on a highway or public place, the person in charge of the animal must immediately remove the excrement and dispose of it in a sanitary manner.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 782, 2006, s. 15](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/163/)
  - Official wording: "If an animal defecates on a highway or public place, the person having care, custody or control of the animal shall immediately remove the excrement and dispose of it in a sanitary manner."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Dog at large: $100. Dog off leash: $100.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 782, 2006, Schedule C](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/163/)
  - Official wording: "Dog at large 14(b) $100.00" … "Dog off leash 14(c) $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 782, 2006
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 782, 2006, s. 1](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/163/)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as “Animal Control Bylaw, No. 782, 2006”"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The Town's [Animal Control Bylaw No. 782, 2006](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/163/) says that in a public place a dog must be on a leash, chain or tether no longer than 2 metres (6.6 ft), under the immediate care and control of a competent person. A dog is "at large" if it is off leash in a public place or on someone else's land without consent, and that is an offence. "Public place" includes any highway and any property the Town owns or runs. The Town's [dog licensing page](https://www.princeton.ca/p/dog-licencing) says dogs must be leashed outside the residence or fenced yard.

## Good to know

- The bylaw and the Town's pages do not name any off-leash areas or dog parks. Ask Bylaw Services (250-295-3135 or 778-720-6114) before assuming a park allows off-leash dogs.
- They also name no places where dogs are banned. The Town's campground has its own pet rules.
- If your dog defecates on a highway or in a public place, you must remove it right away and dispose of it in a sanitary way.
- Tickets: $100 for a dog at large and $100 for a dog off leash.
- Report a loose dog to Bylaw Services: 778-720-6114 or 250-295-3135, bylaw@princeton.ca.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 782, 2006 (PDF), Town of Princeton](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/163/)
- [Dog licensing, Town of Princeton](https://www.princeton.ca/p/dog-licencing)
- [Bylaw Services, Town of Princeton](https://www.princeton.ca/p/bylaw-services)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Keremeos](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Summerland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Hope](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Penticton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Peachland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Oliver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oliver/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 782, 2006 (PDF), Town of Princeton](https://princeton.civicweb.net/document/163/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Dog licensing, Town of Princeton](https://www.princeton.ca/p/dog-licencing) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Services, Town of Princeton](https://www.princeton.ca/p/bylaw-services) (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; 2 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Town of Princeton. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/dog-leash-rules/_