---
title: Sechelt dog leash rules and off-leash areas
question: "Where can dogs be off leash, and what are the leash rules in Sechelt?"
place: Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/sechelt
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Sechelt
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/dog-leash-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/dog-leash-rules.json"
---

# Sechelt dog leash rules and off-leash areas

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

**Short answer:** In Sechelt, a dog must be on a leash whenever it is off the owner's property, and a dog running free can be impounded. Owners must clean up after their dog. The District lists off-leash dog parks, including Jane Bowers Dog Park.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Sechelt, https://www.sechelt.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice for a dog at large: $150 first offence, $300 second, $500 third. Failing to collect dog feces: $150.  
**How long:** Not applicable.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement, 604-885-1986 ext. 2
- Online: Bylaw Enforcement online complaint form (link on the District page), https://www.sechelt.ca/our-government/bylaws/bylaw-enforcement/
- In person: Municipal Hall, 2nd Floor, 5797 Cowrie Street, Sechelt, BC V0N 3A0 (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (the District page does not give the days of the week))

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** A dog must be on a leash when off the owner's property. A dog seen running free can be impounded.
  - Source: [Dog Licences, Dog Regulation FAQ](https://www.sechelt.ca/living-here/pets-and-wildlife/dog-licences/)
  - Official wording: "Yes, dog owners must have the dog on a leash when off your property." … "If your dog is seen running free it can be impounded."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Maximum leash length:** Not confirmed. Sechelt's Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw is posted only as a scan.
- **Off-leash areas:** The District lists these off-leash dog parks: Jane Bowers Dog Park (5730 Ebbtide, one acre, fully enclosed, not shared with other park users), Creekside Park (5661 Creekside Park), Brookman Park (4574 Sunshine Coast Highway) and Lynnwood Park (6505 Lynnwood Court). Heritage Forest Trails and Hidden Grove Trails (Sechelt Inlet Road) are also listed but are not maintained by the District.
  - Source: [Off-Leash Dog Parks, Off-Leash Dog Parks page](https://www.sechelt.ca/arts-and-recreation/parks-and-playgrounds/off-leash-dog-parks/)
  - Official wording: "The District of Sechelt maintains 4 designated Off-Leash Dog Parks." … "Jane Bowers Dog Park" … "5730 Ebbtide" … "Creekside Park" … "Brookman Park" … "4574 Sunshine Coast Highway" … "Lynnwood Park" … "6505 Lynnwood Court" … "This park and trails are not maintained by the District of Sechelt"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** Not confirmed. Sechelt's Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw is posted only as a scan.
- **Cleaning up:** Dog owners must clean up their dog's feces and dispose of it in a sanitary way.
  - Source: [Dog Licences, Dog Regulation FAQ](https://www.sechelt.ca/living-here/pets-and-wildlife/dog-licences/)
  - Official wording: "Yes, dog owners must clean up their dogs' feces and dispose of it in a sanitary matter."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Bylaw notice for a dog at large (Bylaw 611 s. 5.1): $150 first offence, $300 second, $500 third.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Implementation Bylaw No. 515, 2012 (consolidated February 2026), Schedule A, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/d0ibsbhf/515-2012-bylaw-notice-enforcement-implementation-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "611, 2023 Section 5.1 Dog at Large No" … "1st Offence $150" … "2nd Offence $300" … "3rd Offence $500"
  - Source: [Dog Licences, Penalties table](https://www.sechelt.ca/living-here/pets-and-wildlife/dog-licences/)
  - Official wording: "Dog tag not on the dog | $50.00 | Dog running free | $150.00 | Fail to remove excrement" … "| $50.00 | Dog running free | $150.00 | Fail to remove excrement | $150.00 |"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 611, 2023
  - Source: [Dog Licences, Dog Licences page](https://www.sechelt.ca/living-here/pets-and-wildlife/dog-licences/)
  - Official wording: "Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 611, 2023"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 611](<https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rx3lr4ph/611-2023-animal-control-and-licensing-bylaw.pdf>), a dog off the owner's property must be on a leash. A dog seen running free can be impounded. The bylaw is only posted as a scan, so this answer uses the District's Dog Licences page and the ticket schedule.

The District's [Off-Leash Dog Parks page](<https://www.sechelt.ca/arts-and-recreation/parks-and-playgrounds/off-leash-dog-parks/>) lists:

- Jane Bowers Dog Park, 5730 Ebbtide (one acre, fully enclosed, not shared with other park users)
- Creekside Park, 5661 Creekside Park
- Brookman Park, 4574 Sunshine Coast Highway
- Lynnwood Park, 6505 Lynnwood Court
- Heritage Forest Trails and Hidden Grove Trails (Sechelt Inlet Road), which are listed but not maintained by the District

## Good to know

- Owners must clean up their dog's feces and dispose of it in a sanitary way. A bylaw notice for failing to is $150.
- A bylaw notice for a dog at large is $150 for a first offence, $300 for a second and $500 for a third.
- The District's pages and the bylaw schedule do not state a maximum leash length or a list of places where dogs are banned outright. Ask Bylaw Enforcement at 604-885-1986 ext. 2.
- The Parks Bylaw also bars permitting a domestic animal to run at large in a park.
- The off-leash parks page asks dog owners to hold a dog licence.

## Official forms and pages

- [Off-Leash Dog Parks, District of Sechelt](https://www.sechelt.ca/arts-and-recreation/parks-and-playgrounds/off-leash-dog-parks/)
- [Dog Licences, District of Sechelt](https://www.sechelt.ca/living-here/pets-and-wildlife/dog-licences/)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Bowen Island](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Dog Licences, District of Sechelt](https://www.sechelt.ca/living-here/pets-and-wildlife/dog-licences/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Off-Leash Dog Parks, District of Sechelt](https://www.sechelt.ca/arts-and-recreation/parks-and-playgrounds/off-leash-dog-parks/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Implementation Bylaw No. 515, 2012 (consolidated February 2026) (PDF)](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/d0ibsbhf/515-2012-bylaw-notice-enforcement-implementation-consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 611, 2023 (PDF, scanned)](https://www.sechelt.ca/media/rx3lr4ph/611-2023-animal-control-and-licensing-bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, District of Sechelt](https://www.sechelt.ca/our-government/bylaws/bylaw-enforcement/) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 District of Sechelt. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/dog-leash-rules/_