Quesnel dog leash rules and off-leash areas

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

Quesnel, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

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.

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.Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700 (consolidated June 22, 2018), s. 5.2(c), 5.2(f); Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1941, Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1941, s. 4.5(b) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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. is kept on a leash and is under the immediate care and control of a competent person;
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.Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700 (consolidated June 22, 2018), s. 2.1 "Leash"; s. 6.1(c) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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
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.Sugarloaf Dog Park, Sugarloaf Dog Park page; Dog Licence Form · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Bring your dogs and enjoy the secured dog park with separate areas for large and small dogs. be at large in the City (except in the City of Quesnel Dog Park);
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.Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700 (consolidated June 22, 2018), s. 5.3; Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1941, s. 4.5(d) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording the person responsible for the dog must immediately remove the excrement so deposited and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. must immediately place any excrement deposited by the animal into a suitable waste container.
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.Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1774, Schedule 6 (consolidated October 18, 2024), Schedule 6, items 5 and 6; Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw - Consolidated, Animal Bylaw page notice · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 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 City Bylaw Officers will continue to respond to and enforce dog-at-large infractions, including issuing tickets where appropriate
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)Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700 (consolidated June 22, 2018), s. 1.1; Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1941, s. 1.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording This Bylaw shall be cited as the Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700. Parks and Public Places Bylaw

How it works

The Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw 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 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

The same question in other places

Williams Lake · Prince George · McBride · Vanderhoof · 100 Mile House · Fort St James

Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1700 (consolidated June 22, 2018) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1941, City of Quesnel (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Sugarloaf Dog Park, City of Quesnel (read 2026-11-05)
Dog Licence Form, City of Quesnel (read 2026-11-05)
Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1774, Schedule 6 (consolidated October 18, 2024) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Report It! Who Should You Call? (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Animal, Bird and Insect Control and Licensing Bylaw - Consolidated, City of Quesnel (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. How answers are checked.