---
title: Quesnel dog leash rules and off-leash areas
question: "Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules?"
place: Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/quesnel
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Quesnel
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/dog-leash-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/dog-leash-rules.json"
---

# Quesnel 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 Quesnel a dog in any public place, including streets, sidewalks, trails and parks, must be on a leash and under a competent person's immediate control, except in a designated off-leash area. The only off-leash area we found is Sugarloaf Dog Park in West Quesnel.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Quesnel, https://www.quesnel.ca)  
**Cost:** Municipal ticket: dog at large $50 first offence, $100 second within 12 months, $200 subsequent within 12 months. Unleashed dog $50.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement, 250-992-2111
- Email: Bylaw Enforcement, bylaw@quesnel.ca

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** In any public place (streets, trails, sidewalks, parks) a dog must be on a leash and under the immediate care and control of a competent person. Dogs may not be at large; this does not apply in designated off-leash areas.
  - Source: [Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700 (consolidated June 22, 2018), s. 5.2(c), 5.2(f)](https://www.quesnel.ca/sites/default/files/city-hall/bylaws-policies/bylaws/animal-bird-insect-bylaw-2011-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "be in a public place unless the dog is kept on a leash and the dog is under the immediate care and control of a competent person;" … "Subsections (b) and (c) do not apply to designated off leash areas of the City."
  - Source: [Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1941, Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1941, s. 4.5(b)](https://quesnel.civicweb.net/document/145810/)
  - Official wording: "is kept on a leash and is under the immediate care and control of a competent person;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Maximum leash length:** A "leash" under the bylaw may not exceed 183 cm (6 ft). An aggressive dog's leash may be no more than 1.5 m (4.9 ft) and not retractable.
  - Source: [Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700 (consolidated June 22, 2018), s. 2.1 "Leash"; s. 6.1(c)](https://www.quesnel.ca/sites/default/files/city-hall/bylaws-policies/bylaws/animal-bird-insect-bylaw-2011-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "which does not exceed 183 centimeters (6 feet) in length" … "no more that 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) in length" … "not attached to a retracting mechanism"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Off-leash areas:** Sugarloaf Dog Park, near the top of Baker Drive in West Quesnel: a secured dog park with separate areas for large and small dogs. The bylaw exempts "designated off leash areas"; no list or map of other areas was found.
  - Source: [Sugarloaf Dog Park, Sugarloaf Dog Park page](https://www.quesnel.ca/arts-recreation/parks-water/city-parks/sugarloaf-dog-park)
  - Official wording: "Bring your dogs and enjoy the secured dog park with separate areas for large and small dogs."
  - Source: [Dog Licence Form](https://www.quesnel.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-enforcement/dog-licences/dog-licence-form)
  - Official wording: "be at large in the City (except in the City of Quesnel Dog Park);"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** None set. Neither Quesnel bylaw bans dogs from particular parks or beaches.
- **Cleaning up:** The person responsible for a dog must immediately remove its excrement anywhere other than the owner's own property and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. In public places it must go into a suitable waste container.
  - Source: [Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700 (consolidated June 22, 2018), s. 5.3](https://www.quesnel.ca/sites/default/files/city-hall/bylaws-policies/bylaws/animal-bird-insect-bylaw-2011-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "the person responsible for the dog must immediately remove the excrement so deposited and dispose of it in a sanitary manner."
  - Source: [Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1941, s. 4.5(d)](https://quesnel.civicweb.net/document/145810/)
  - Official wording: "must immediately place any excrement deposited by the animal into a suitable waste container."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Municipal ticket: dog at large $50 first offence, $100 second within 12 months, $200 subsequent within 12 months. Unleashed dog: $50.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1774, Schedule 6 (consolidated October 18, 2024), Schedule 6, items 5 and 6](https://www.quesnel.ca/media/file/1774-mti-consolidated-2024pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog at Large" … "First Offence $ 50.00" … "Second Offence (within 12 months) $100.00" … "Subsequent Offence(s) (within 12 months) $200.00" … "Unleashed dog 5.2 (c) $ 50.00"
  - Source: [Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw - Consolidated, Animal Bylaw page notice](https://www.quesnel.ca/city-hall/bylaws-policies/bylaws-listing/animal-bird-and-insect-control-and-licensing-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "City Bylaw Officers will continue to respond to and enforce dog-at-large infractions, including issuing tickets where appropriate"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700 (s. 5.2, 5.3); also Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1941 (s. 4.5)
  - Source: [Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700 (consolidated June 22, 2018), s. 1.1](https://www.quesnel.ca/sites/default/files/city-hall/bylaws-policies/bylaws/animal-bird-insect-bylaw-2011-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw shall be cited as the Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700."
  - Source: [Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1941, s. 1.1](https://quesnel.civicweb.net/document/145810/)
  - Official wording: "Parks and Public Places Bylaw"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw](https://www.quesnel.ca/sites/default/files/city-hall/bylaws-policies/bylaws/animal-bird-insect-bylaw-2011-consolidated.pdf) says a dog in any public place (streets, trails, sidewalks, parks) must be on a leash and under the immediate care and control of a competent person. Dogs may not be at large. This does not apply in designated off-leash areas. The [Parks and Public Places Bylaw](https://quesnel.civicweb.net/document/145810/) also requires leashing, control and cleanup in parks.

## Good to know

- A "leash" under the bylaw may not be longer than 183 cm (6 ft).
- Sugarloaf Dog Park is near the top of Baker Drive in West Quesnel: a secured park with separate areas for large and small dogs. No list or map of other off-leash areas was found; ask Bylaw Enforcement.
- Clean up after your dog right away anywhere other than your own property and dispose of it sanitarily. In public places it must go into a suitable waste container.
- An aggressive dog's leash may be no more than 1.5 m (4.9 ft) long and not retractable.
- Neither bylaw bans dogs from particular parks or beaches.
- To report a dog at large, call Bylaw Enforcement at 250-992-2111.

## Official forms and pages

- [Sugarloaf Dog Park, City of Quesnel](https://www.quesnel.ca/arts-recreation/parks-water/city-parks/sugarloaf-dog-park)
- [Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw 1700 (PDF)](https://www.quesnel.ca/sites/default/files/city-hall/bylaws-policies/bylaws/animal-bird-insect-bylaw-2011-consolidated.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Quesnel dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/dog-licence.md)
- [Quesnel rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/dangerous-dogs.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Williams Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Prince George](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [McBride](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mcbride/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Vanderhoof](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vanderhoof/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Fort St James](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-james/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700 (consolidated June 22, 2018) (PDF)](https://www.quesnel.ca/sites/default/files/city-hall/bylaws-policies/bylaws/animal-bird-insect-bylaw-2011-consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1941, City of Quesnel (PDF)](https://quesnel.civicweb.net/document/145810/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Sugarloaf Dog Park, City of Quesnel](https://www.quesnel.ca/arts-recreation/parks-water/city-parks/sugarloaf-dog-park) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Dog Licence Form, City of Quesnel](https://www.quesnel.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-enforcement/dog-licences/dog-licence-form) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1774, Schedule 6 (consolidated October 18, 2024) (PDF)](https://www.quesnel.ca/media/file/1774-mti-consolidated-2024pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Report It! Who Should You Call? (PDF)](https://www.quesnel.ca/media/file/2023-who-call) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw - Consolidated, City of Quesnel](https://www.quesnel.ca/city-hall/bylaws-policies/bylaws-listing/animal-bird-and-insect-control-and-licensing-bylaw) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Quesnel. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/dog-leash-rules/_