{"title":"Vancouver dog leash rules and off-leash areas","question":"Where can dogs go off leash in Vancouver, and what are the leash rules?","slug":"dog-leash-rules","place":{"path":"ca/bc/vancouver","name":"Vancouver","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":"City of Vancouver","url":"https://vancouver.ca"},"short_answer":"In Vancouver, keep your dog leashed in public except in designated off-leash areas. Even there, the dog must remain under control and have a valid licence.","aliases":[],"cost":null,"how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"City Hall","value":"311"}],"documents":[],"forms":[],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Vancouver dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"dangerous-dogs","title":"Vancouver rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dangerous-dogs/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/richmond","name":"Richmond","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/burnaby","name":"Burnaby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-westminster","name":"New Westminster","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/dog-leash-rules/"},{"place":"ca/bc/delta","name":"Delta","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/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":"In Vancouver, keep your dog leashed in public except in designated off-leash areas.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/responsible-dog-ownership.aspx","title":"Responsible dog ownership","section":"Leash laws in Vancouver","quotes":["All dog owners in Vancouver must follow Animal Control By-law 9150. This means: * Your dog must have a valid licence * Your dog must be under control at all times * Dogs are not allowed to run free in public spaces, except in one of the our 39 designated off-leash areas Using a leash is a simple and powerful way to protect your dog, others, and the environment. It’s also the law."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"leash_length":{"label":"Maximum leash length","value":"The leash must be no longer than 2.5 m in a street or other public place where leashing is required.","short":"2.5 m","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/9150c.PDF","title":"Animal Control By-law (PDF)","section":"PDF p. 8","quotes":["Leashing dogs 4.2 A person who keeps a dog must not permit, suffer, or allow the dog to be on a street or other public place unless the dog is under the immediate charge and control of a competent person by means of a leash that is not more than 2.5 m long or another by-law allows the dog to be off-leash under certain circumstances."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"off_leash_areas":{"label":"Off-leash areas","value":"Dogs may be off leash in designated areas, under control and with a valid licence.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/responsible-dog-ownership.aspx","title":"Responsible dog ownership","section":"Leash laws in Vancouver","quotes":["* Your dog must have a valid licence * Your dog must be under control at all times * Dogs are not allowed to run free in public spaces, except in one of the our 39 designated off-leash areas"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"dogs_not_allowed":{"label":"Places dogs are not allowed","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","note":"Checked Responsible dog ownership, Animal Control By-law No. 9150; not found there.","sources":[]},"clean_up":{"label":"Cleaning up","value":"Pick up droppings immediately and put them in a suitable bin. Exceptions cover the handler’s own or exclusively occupied property, a service dog with a physically disabled handler and a guide dog with a blind handler.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/9150c.pdf","title":"Animal Control By-law No. 9150 (PDF)","section":"Sections 4.9–4.10, removing excrement","quotes":["Removing excrement 4.9 A person who keeps a dog, or a person who has care, custody or control of a dog, except for a service dog in the company of a handler who is physically disabled or a guide dog in the company of a handler who is blind, must immediately remove any excrement deposited by the dog, and deposit it in a suitable refuse container. Removing excrement from owner’s property 4.10 Section 4.9 does not apply to excrement deposited by a dog on property owned by or in the exclusive possession of a person who keeps, or who has care, custody or control, of the dog."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"fine_at_large":{"label":"Fine, dog at large or off leash","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","note":"Checked Responsible dog ownership, Animal Control By-law No. 9150; not found there.","sources":[]},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Control By-law No. 9150.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/responsible-dog-ownership.aspx","title":"Responsible dog ownership","section":"Leash laws in Vancouver","quotes":["All dog owners in Vancouver must follow Animal Control By-law 9150. This means:"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":7,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":2},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nPlan the whole walk, including the path from the parking area to the off-leash space. A designation for one part of a park can leave the adjoining trail, beach or playing field subject to different rules. Dogs may be off leash in designated areas, under control and with a valid licence.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check the park or area in [Responsible dog ownership](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/responsible-dog-ownership.aspx). Look up the specific park or trail you intend to use. Check the description against the signs where you enter.\n2. Take a leash even if your destination has an off-leash area. Know where the designated section ends before letting your dog run.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- The leash must be no longer than 2.5 m in a street or other public place where leashing is required.\n- Pick up droppings immediately and put them in a suitable bin. Exceptions cover the handler’s own or exclusively occupied property, a service dog with a physically disabled handler and a guide dog with a blind handler.\n- In Vancouver, dogs over three months old, including service dogs, must be licensed annually.\n- Check the rules again when crossing a fence, leaving the park or joining a shared path. Carry bags and plan where to dispose of waste.\n- For a question about the boundary of the area where you plan to walk, call City Hall at 311.\n- Read the applicable provisions in [Animal Control By-law (PDF)](https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/9150c.PDF) and [Animal Control By-law No. 9150 (PDF)](https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/9150c.pdf).","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/responsible-dog-ownership.aspx","title":"Responsible dog ownership","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/9150c.PDF","title":"Animal Control By-law (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/licensing-your-dog.aspx","title":"Dog licences and tags","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/9150c.pdf","title":"Animal Control By-law No. 9150 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-the-city-of-vancouver.aspx","title":"Vancouver municipal office contact information","accessed":"2026-11-09"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-09","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"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."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dog-leash-rules/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dog-leash-rules.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dog-leash-rules.json"}}