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

# Sidney dog leash rules and off-leash areas

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

**Short answer:** In Sidney, a dog must be under a competent person's control on a leash no longer than 6 feet (1.83 m). The Town says dogs must be on leash in all public places except Peter Grant Park. A bylaw notice for a dog at large is $130; a municipal ticket is $130.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Sidney, https://www.sidney.ca)  
**Cost:** Dog at large without a leash: bylaw notice $130 ($100 within 14 days, $160 after 28 days); municipal ticket $130 ($100 within 30 days).  
**How long:** not applicable  
**Where:**
- Phone: CRD Animal Control, 250-478-0624 (After hours 1-833-931-3585)
- Phone: Town of Sidney Bylaw Enforcement, 250-544-4743

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** A dog must not be at large unless accompanied by and under the effective control of a competent person by means of a leash. In a Town park a dog must be under that control unless the park is designated off leash. The Town says dogs must be on leash in all public places except Peter Grant Park.
  - Source: [Animal Licence and Control Bylaw No. 1965, 2010, s. 4.1(a), 4.1(e)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/1965-Animal-Control.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A Dog Owner must not permit, suffer or allow a dog to be at large unless accompanied by and under the effective control of a competent person by means of a leash" … "unless the Park is designated as an off leash park as per Section 4.6."
  - Source: [Dogs, intro](https://www.sidney.ca/services/dogs)
  - Official wording: "Dogs must remain on leash in all public places in Sidney, except for the off-leash dog park, Peter Grant Park."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Maximum leash length:** A leash may not be longer than 6 feet (1.83 m).
  - Source: [Animal Licence and Control Bylaw No. 1965, 2010, s. 2.0 definition of Leash](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/1965-Animal-Control.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a line, chain, harness, or rope that does not exceed a length of 6 feet (1.83 meters)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Off-leash areas:** Peter Grant Park, and any area or enclosure signed for off-leash use as designated by the Director of Engineering.
  - Source: [Animal Licence and Control Bylaw No. 1965, 2010, s. 4.6](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/1965-Animal-Control.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Off leash dog areas include:" … "(a) Peter Grant Park" … "Any area or enclosure signed for off-leash use as designated by the Director of Engineering."
  - Source: [Dogs, intro](https://www.sidney.ca/services/dogs)
  - Official wording: "except for the off-leash dog park, Peter Grant Park."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** No dog may be in any public park area used as a picnic area, hard-surfaced sports court, exercise area or playground, whether or not the area is in use.
  - Source: [Animal Licence and Control Bylaw No. 1965, 2010, s. 4.1(k)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/1965-Animal-Control.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall allow, suffer, or permit any dog to be present on or within any public park area utilized as a picnic area, hard-surfaced sports court, exercise area, or playground, whether or not the area is then in use."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cleaning up:** The owner must not let the dog leave excrement on any street, lane, park, school ground or other public place, or on private property other than the owner's, unless the excrement is removed immediately.
  - Source: [Animal Licence and Control Bylaw No. 1965, 2010, s. 4.1(d)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/1965-Animal-Control.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The owner of a dog shall not cause or allow any dog to defecate on any street, lane, park, public school ground or any other public place" … "unless the person shall immediately remove the excrement."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Bylaw notice (dog at large without leash): $130 ($100 if paid within 14 days; $160 after 28 days); same amounts for a dog off leash in a public park. Municipal ticket: $130 ($100 if paid within 30 days).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2239, Schedule C, Animal Licence & Control Bylaw, ss. 4.1(a), 4.1(e)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2239-Bylaw-Notice-Enforcement-CON.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog At Large Without Part IV, Section $130.00 $100.00 $160.00"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2180, Schedule 2, ss. 4.1(a), 4.1(e)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2180-MTI-consolidated.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog At Large Without Part IV, Section 4.1 (a) $130.00 $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Licence and Control Bylaw No. 1965, 2010
  - Source: [Animal Licence and Control Bylaw No. 1965, 2010, s. 1.0](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/1965-Animal-Control.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Animal Licence and Control Bylaw No. 1965, 2010"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Animal Licence and Control Bylaw No. 1965](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/1965-Animal-Control.pdf) says a dog must not be at large unless it is accompanied by, and under the effective control of, a competent person by means of a leash. A leash may not be longer than 6 feet (1.83 m). In a Town park the dog must be under that control unless the park is designated off leash. The Town's Dogs page says dogs must be on leash in all public places except Peter Grant Park.

## Good to know

- Off-leash areas: Peter Grant Park, and any area or enclosure signed for off-leash use by the Director of Engineering. No map or list of other signed areas was found.
- No dog may be in a public park area used as a picnic area, hard-surfaced sports court, exercise area or playground, whether or not it is in use.
- Pick up after your dog. Excrement must be removed immediately from any street, lane, park, school ground or other public place, or from private property that is not yours.
- Aggressive and dangerous dogs may not enter off-leash areas.
- The bylaw does not name a beach ban for leashed dogs, and no beach rule was found in the bylaws read. Ask the Town if you are unsure.
- Fines: a bylaw notice is $130 ($100 if paid within 14 days; $160 after 28 days); a municipal ticket is $130 ($100 if paid within 30 days). The same amounts apply to a dog off leash in a public park.
- Report a dog problem to CRD Animal Control at 250-478-0624.

## Official forms and pages

- [Dogs, Town of Sidney](https://www.sidney.ca/services/dogs)
- [Animal Licence and Control Bylaw No. 1965 (PDF)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/1965-Animal-Control.pdf)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Central Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Dogs, Town of Sidney](https://www.sidney.ca/services/dogs) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Animal Licence and Control Bylaw No. 1965, 2010 (PDF)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/1965-Animal-Control.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2239 (PDF)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2239-Bylaw-Notice-Enforcement-CON.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2180 (PDF)](https://www.sidney.ca/wp-content/uploads/2180-MTI-consolidated.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, Town of Sidney](https://www.sidney.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/) (read 2026-11-06)

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