{"title":"Smithers dog leash rules and off-leash areas","question":"Where can dogs be off leash in Smithers, and what are the leash rules?","slug":"dog-leash-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/smithers","name":"Smithers","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"pets-and-wildlife","name":"Pets, animals and wildlife"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"Town of Smithers","url":"https://www.smithers.ca"},"short_answer":"In Smithers, a dog in a public place, including a park or school ground, must be on a leash held by a responsible person, and the leash may not be longer than 183 cm (6 feet). Dogs may run free only in designated off-leash areas, such as the small dog areas at Dogwood Park.","aliases":["dog off leash smithers","dog park smithers","leash law smithers","dog at large smithers"],"cost":"Bylaw notice for a dog at large: $150. Unleashed dog not confined: $100. Off-leash dog in a park: $150.","how_long":"Rules apply at all times.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Town Hall (bylaw enforcement)","value":"250-847-1600","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Parks, Fields & Trails","url":"https://www.smithers.ca/parks-recreation-culture/parks-fields-trails"},{"title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020)","url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Smithers dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"dangerous-dogs","title":"Smithers rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dangerous-dogs/"},{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Smithers bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/bylaw-fines/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/telkwa","name":"Telkwa","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/houston","name":"Houston","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-hazelton","name":"New Hazelton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/granisle","name":"Granisle","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/terrace","name":"Terrace","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kitimat","name":"Kitimat","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/dog-leash-rules/"}],"topic":{"title":"Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules/"},"facts":{"leash_rule":{"label":"Leash rule","value":"A dog on a highway or other public place, including a school ground or park, must be secured on a leash held by a responsible person. Off its owner's property it must be under that person's immediate control. Owners must not let a dog run at large.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), Town of Smithers","section":"s. 2.1 \"At Large\"","quotes":["a dog located upon a highway or other public place, including a school ground","or park, that is not secured on a leash to a responsible and competent person"]},{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), Town of Smithers","section":"s. 5.1(a)","quotes":["to run at large or to trespass in or upon any private lands or premises"]},{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/284671/","title":"Parks and Open Spaces Bylaw No. 2007, Town of Smithers","section":"s. 3.8(d)","quotes":["Allow any dog or other animal to run at large with the exception of areas"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"leash_length":{"label":"Maximum leash length","value":"A leash may not be longer than 183 cm (6 feet). A dangerous dog's leash may not exceed 1.2 m.","short":"183 cm","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), Town of Smithers","section":"s. 2.1 \"Leash\"","quotes":["which does not exceed 183 centimetres (6 feet) in length"]},{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), Town of Smithers","section":"s. 4.6(b)","quotes":["ensure the dog is on a leash which does not exceed one point two (1.2)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"off_leash_areas":{"label":"Off-leash areas","value":"Dogs may run free only in areas the Director designates as off-leash areas. The Town's parks page says Dogwood Park (Dan Hamhuis Way, off Toronto St.) has two small dog park areas.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/284671/","title":"Parks and Open Spaces Bylaw No. 2007, Town of Smithers","section":"s. 3.8(d)","quotes":["Allow any dog or other animal to run at large with the exception of areas","designated as an off-leash area by the Director."]},{"url":"https://www.smithers.ca/parks-recreation-culture/parks-fields-trails","title":"Parks, Fields & Trails, Town of Smithers","section":"Dogwood Park","quotes":["two small dog park areas"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"dogs_not_allowed":{"label":"Places dogs are not allowed","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","sources":[]},"clean_up":{"label":"Cleaning up","value":"Anyone whose dog leaves excrement anywhere other than on the owner's property must immediately remove it and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. The same duty applies in parks.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), Town of Smithers","section":"s. 5.9","quotes":["No person shall suffer or permit any dog to leave or deposit excrement any place","remove such excrement and to dispose of same in a sanitary manner."]},{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/284671/","title":"Parks and Open Spaces Bylaw No. 2007, Town of Smithers","section":"s. 3.8(c)","quotes":["Leave any animal waste deposited by any animal belonging to them or under"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine_at_large":{"label":"Fine, dog at large or off leash","value":"Bylaw notice: dog at large (s. 5.1(a)) $150; unleashed dog not confined (s. 5.10) $100; off-leash dog in a park (Parks bylaw s. 3.8(d)) $150. The schedule also shows lower early amounts ($75, $50) and higher late ones ($250, $200), but s. 8.1 describes the columns differently; confirm with the Town.","short":"Notice $150 at large; $100 unleashed","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/290948/","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011, Town of Smithers","section":"Schedule A, Bylaw 1780 table","quotes":["Dog at large 5.1 (a) 150.00 75.00 250.00 NO","Fail to confine unleashed dog 5.10 100.00 50.00 200.00 NO","Off leash animal or dog 3.8.d 150.00 75.00 250.00 NO","amount set out in Column 3 of \"Schedule A\"; or"]},{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/290948/","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011, Town of Smithers","section":"Schedule A, Bylaw 2007 table","quotes":["Off leash animal or dog 3.8.d 150.00 75.00 250.00 NO"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"},"sources_differ":"Amounts are from the Schedule A table of Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011 (adopted Aug. 25, 2026). The table headings read Penalty / Early Payment (within 14 days) / Late Payment (after 28 days), but s. 8.1 of the same bylaw says the Column 3 amount is payable within 14 days, Column 4 between 14 and 28 days and Column 5 after 28 days, so which figure is the 'full' amount is unclear; confirm with the Town. No Municipal Ticket Information bylaw was found in the bylaw library. Older fees for dogs at large (first offence $25 licensed, $50 unlicensed, up to $200) are in Schedule B of Bylaw 1780 (consolidated 2020); the 2026 notice schedule is later."},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Bylaw No. 1780 - Animal Control and Licensing; Parks and Open Spaces Bylaw No. 2007 (parks).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), Town of Smithers","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["This bylaw may be cited as","Animal Control and Licensing"]},{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/284671/","title":"Parks and Open Spaces Bylaw No. 2007, Town of Smithers","section":"Title","quotes":["PARKS AND OPEN SPACES BYLAW"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":7,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":1},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder the [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23](<https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/>), owners must not let a dog run at large. On a highway or any other public place, including a school ground or park, a dog must be secured on a leash held by a responsible person. Off its owner's property it must be under that person's immediate control. The [Parks and Open Spaces Bylaw No. 2007](<https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/284671/>) also applies in parks.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Leash length: no longer than 183 cm (6 feet). A dangerous dog's leash may not exceed 1.2 m.\n- Off-leash areas: dogs may run free only in areas the Director designates. The Town's parks page says Dogwood Park (Dan Hamhuis Way, off Toronto Street) has two small dog park areas.\n- Clean-up: if your dog leaves excrement anywhere other than your own property, remove it immediately and dispose of it in a sanitary manner. The same duty applies in parks.\n- Fines (bylaw notices): dog at large $150; unleashed dog not confined $100; off-leash dog in a park $150. The early and late amounts and their timing should be confirmed with the Town.\n- To report a problem, call the Bylaw Enforcement Officer at 250-847-1600.","sources":[{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), Town of Smithers","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/284671/","title":"Parks and Open Spaces Bylaw No. 2007, Town of Smithers","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/290948/","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011, Town of Smithers","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.smithers.ca/parks-recreation-culture/parks-fields-trails","title":"Parks, Fields & Trails, Town of Smithers","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dog-leash-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dog-leash-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dog-leash-rules.json"}}