Sechelt dog leash rules and off-leash areas
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.
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.Dog Licences, Dog Regulation FAQ · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingYes, dog owners must have the dog on a leash when off your property. If your dog is seen running free it can be impounded. |
|---|---|
| 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.Off-Leash Dog Parks, Off-Leash Dog Parks page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThe 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 |
| 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.Dog Licences, Dog Regulation FAQ · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingYes, dog owners must clean up their dogs' feces and dispose of it in a sanitary matter. |
| 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.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Implementation Bylaw No. 515, 2012 (consolidated February 2026), Schedule A, Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw; Dog Licences, Penalties table · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording611, 2023 Section 5.1 Dog at Large No 1st Offence $150 2nd Offence $300 3rd Offence $500 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 | |
| Bylaw | Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 611, 2023Dog Licences, Dog Licences page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingAnimal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 611, 2023 |
How it works
Under the Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 611, 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 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
The same question in other places
Gibsons · Bowen Island · Lantzville · Nanaimo · Lions Bay · West Vancouver
Sources
- Dog Licences, District of Sechelt (read 2026-11-06)
- Off-Leash Dog Parks, District of Sechelt (read 2026-11-06)
- Bylaw Notice Enforcement Implementation Bylaw No. 515, 2012 (consolidated February 2026) (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
- Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 611, 2023 (PDF, scanned) (read 2026-11-06)
- Bylaw Enforcement, District of Sechelt (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. How answers are checked.