---
title: Vancouver dog leash rules and off-leash areas
question: "Where can dogs go off leash in Vancouver, and what are the leash rules?"
place: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/vancouver
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Vancouver
sources_read: 2026-11-09
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dog-leash-rules/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dog-leash-rules.json"
---

# Vancouver dog leash rules and off-leash areas

**Question:** Where can dogs go off leash in Vancouver, and what are the leash rules?

**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.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Vancouver, https://vancouver.ca)  
**Where:**
- Phone: City Hall, 311

## Key facts

- **Leash rule:** In Vancouver, keep your dog leashed in public except in designated off-leash areas.
  - Source: [Responsible dog ownership, Leash laws in Vancouver](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/responsible-dog-ownership.aspx)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **Maximum leash length:** The leash must be no longer than 2.5 m in a street or other public place where leashing is required.
  - Source: [Animal Control By-law, PDF p. 8](https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/9150c.PDF)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **Off-leash areas:** Dogs may be off leash in designated areas, under control and with a valid licence.
  - Source: [Responsible dog ownership, Leash laws in Vancouver](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/responsible-dog-ownership.aspx)
  - Official wording: "* 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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **Places dogs are not allowed:** Not confirmed. Checked Responsible dog ownership, Animal Control By-law No. 9150; not found there.
- **Cleaning up:** 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.
  - Source: [Animal Control By-law No. 9150, Sections 4.9–4.10, removing excrement](https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/9150c.pdf)
  - Official wording: "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: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **Fine, dog at large or off leash:** Not confirmed. Checked Responsible dog ownership, Animal Control By-law No. 9150; not found there.
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control By-law No. 9150.
  - Source: [Responsible dog ownership, Leash laws in Vancouver](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/responsible-dog-ownership.aspx)
  - Official wording: "All dog owners in Vancouver must follow Animal Control By-law 9150. This means:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09

## How it works

Plan 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.

## Steps

1. 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.
2. Take a leash even if your destination has an off-leash area. Know where the designated section ends before letting your dog run.

## Good to know

- The leash must be no longer than 2.5 m in a street or other public place where leashing is required.
- 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.
- In Vancouver, dogs over three months old, including service dogs, must be licensed annually.
- 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.
- For a question about the boundary of the area where you plan to walk, call City Hall at 311.
- 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).

## Related questions

- [Vancouver dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dog-licence.md)
- [Vancouver rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dangerous-dogs.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Richmond](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Delta](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/dog-leash-rules.md)

## Sources

- [Responsible dog ownership](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/responsible-dog-ownership.aspx) (read 2026-11-09)
- [Animal Control By-law (PDF)](https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/9150c.PDF) (read 2026-11-09)
- [Dog licences and tags](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/licensing-your-dog.aspx) (read 2026-11-09)
- [Animal Control By-law No. 9150 (PDF)](https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/9150c.pdf) (read 2026-11-09)
- [Vancouver municipal office contact information](https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-the-city-of-vancouver.aspx) (read 2026-11-09)

_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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Vancouver. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dog-leash-rules/_