Sooke dog leash rules and off-leash areas

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

Sooke, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-06

Short answer

In Sooke, a dog off its owner's property must be on a leash or other device, or under the immediate care and control of a competent person. In parks, dogs must be leashed or return immediately when called. The fenced Carter Navarrete Dog Park, 2276 Church Road, is the off-leash park.

Key facts

Leash rule	Off the owner's property, a dog may not run at large unless it is on a leash, tether or other suitable device, or under the immediate care and control of a competent person. On the owner's property it must be kept securely contained. In parks, a dog must be leashed or must return immediately when called, and must be leashed when a sign requires it or an officer asks.Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw No. 392, ss. 36, 37; Community Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 101, ss. 35, 36 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording No owner of a dog shall permit the dog to be running at large in the District unless the dog is kept on a leash, tether or other suitable device, or is under the immediate care and control of a competent person. keep the dog securely contained so as to prevent the dog escaping from the owner’s property. by restraining it with a leash or lead, or by having the dog or other animal respond and return immediately must restrain the dog with a leash no greater than 2 metres in length when required by a posted sign or
Maximum leash length	No limit for ordinary dogs in the Animal Bylaw. In parks, where a sign requires a leash or an officer asks, the leash can be no longer than 2 metres. A dangerous dog's leash is also limited to 2 metres.Community Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 101, s. 36; Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw No. 392, s. 40 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording must restrain the dog with a leash no greater than 2 metres in length when required by a posted sign or suitable device not exceeding two metres in length
Off-leash areas	Carter Navarrete Dog Park, 2276 Church Road, within the Pond's Park Corridor: a fenced off-leash park.Dogs in Parks, Off-leash park · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Sooke’s off-leash dog park, Carter Navarrete Dog Park, is located at 2276 Church Road within the Pond’s Park Corridor. This fenced park provides a safe, welcoming space for dogs to run and play off-leash.
Places dogs are not allowed	Dogs may not enter park areas signed as prohibited to dogs (except a guide animal held by a leash or harness). The District's page advises avoiding playgrounds, sports fields and community gardens unless otherwise posted.Community Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 101, s. 39; Dogs in Parks, Guidelines · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording must not permit the animal to enter areas, signed as prohibited areas to dogs, horses or other animals, except a person with a disability accompanied by a guide Avoid playgrounds, sports fields, and community gardens unless otherwise posted.
Cleaning up	Remove the dog's excrement immediately on a highway, public place or another person's land and dispose of it sanitarily. In a park, put it in a waste container or carry it out.Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw No. 392, s. 44; Community Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 101, s. 37 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording the person having care, custody, or control of the animal shall immediately remove the excrement carry the excrement out of the park if no waste disposal containers are
Fine, dog at large or off leash	$100 (municipal ticket) for an animal at large (ss. 37 and 43) and $100 for failing to contain a dog (s. 36). In parks, an uncontrolled animal is $100.Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 836, Schedule B1; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 836, Schedule B6 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording 37 Animal at large $100.00 36 Failure to contain dog $100.00 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 Uncontrolled animal $100.00
Bylaw	Bylaw No. 392, Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw, 2009; in parks, Community Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 101, 2002Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw No. 392, title; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 836, Schedule B6 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Bylaw No. 392, Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw, 2009 Community Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 101, 2002

How it works

Under the Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw No. 392, off the owner's property a dog may not run at large unless it is on a leash, tether or other suitable device, or under the immediate care and control of a competent person. On your own property it must be kept securely contained. The bylaw sets no leash length for ordinary dogs.

In parks, the Community Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 101 says a dog must be leashed or must return immediately when called. It must be leashed when a sign requires it or an officer asks, and then the leash can be no longer than 2 metres.

Good to know

Off-leash park: Carter Navarrete Dog Park, 2276 Church Road, within the Pond's Park Corridor. It is fenced.
Dogs may not enter park areas signed as prohibited to dogs (a guide animal held by a leash or harness is the exception). The District advises avoiding playgrounds, sports fields and community gardens unless posted otherwise.
Remove your dog's excrement immediately on a highway, public place or another person's land and dispose of it sanitarily. In a park, put it in a waste container or carry it out.
Tickets are $100 for an animal at large, for failing to contain a dog, for an uncontrolled animal in a park, and for excrement not removed.
Animal complaints go to CRD Animal Care Services at 250-478-0624.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Metchosin · Langford · Colwood · Highlands · View Royal · Esquimalt

Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Animal Regulation and Impounding Bylaw No. 392 (PDF), District of Sooke (read 2026-11-06)
Community Parks Regulation Bylaw No. 101 (PDF), District of Sooke (read 2026-11-06)
Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 836 (PDF), District of Sooke (read 2026-11-06)
Dogs in Parks, District of Sooke (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. How answers are checked.