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Victoria dog leash rules and off-leash areas

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

Victoria, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In the City of Victoria a dog in a public place must be firmly held on a leash by a person able to restrain it. The exception is the 15 leash-optional park areas, at their set times only. The leash can be up to 2.4 metres, or a retractable lead up to 8 metres.

Key facts

Leash ruleA dog in a public place must be firmly held on a leash by a person competent to restrain it. Exception: leash-optional park areas, only at the listed times, with the dog under effective control (in sight and returns within three calls) and the area not closed or under permit.Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), s. 19(1)-(3); Dogs in Parks · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
The owner of a dog must not allow the dog to be in a public place unless the dog is firmly held on
by a person competent to restrain the dog.
the dog is under the effective control of a competent person
when the person calls the dog, the dog returns to the person within three calls.
All dogs must be on a leash in the City of Victoria except in designated leash-optional areas or within enclosed spaces on private property.
Maximum leash lengthA leash up to 2.4 m long, or a retractable lead up to 8 m when fully extended.Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), s. 19(1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
a leash not exceeding 2.4 m in length, or
a retractable lead not exceeding 8 m in length when fully extended,
Off-leash areas15 leash-optional park areas, each with set times (Schedule A), for example Arbutus Park, Oswald Park and Vic West Park all days 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and Barnard Park 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. The City's Dogs in Parks page has a map and a list version.Dogs in Parks, Leash-Optional Areas; Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), Schedule A · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
There are 15 leash-optional dog parks in Victoria.
Click here for a list version of the dog parks highlighted on the map below.
Arbutus Park all days 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Barnard Park all days 6:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Places dogs are not allowedDogs are banned in: the dogs-prohibited part of Beacon Hill Park, Pioneer Square, Ross Bay Cemetery, Gonzales Beach from June 1 to August 31, playgrounds with sand, wood chip or rubber surfacing, and Finlayson Field in Topaz Park. The City page says only certified assistance dogs are allowed in no-dog areas.Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), s. 19(4); Dogs in Parks, No-Dog Areas · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
all times in Pioneer Square;
all times in Ross Bay Cemetery;
from June 1 to August 31 on Gonzales Beach;
all times on the all-weather sports field, known as Finlayson Field, in Topaz Park.
Only certified assistance dogs are allowed in the following areas; all other dogs are prohibited.
Cleaning upThe owner must immediately remove the dog's excrement and dispose of it lawfully, in a public place or on any private property other than the owner's. Guide animals are exempt (s. 3(2)).Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), s. 35(1); Dogs in Parks · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
The owner of a dog must not allow the dog to defecate
unless the owner immediately removes the excrement and lawfully disposes of it.
Pick up after your dog
Fine, dog at large or off leashBylaw notice (Bylaw 16-017): $100 for a dog in a public place without restraint (s. 19(1)) or in a prohibited place (s. 19(4)); $75 if paid within 14 days, $125 if unpaid 15 days after receipt. Municipal ticket (Bylaw 10-071): $100, or $65 if paid within 30 days.Ticket Bylaw 10-071 (consolidated June 18, 2026), Schedule C; Bylaw Notice Adjudication Bylaw 16-017, Schedule B; Dogs in Parks, Dallas Road Waterfront · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Dog in public place 19(1) $100.00 $65.00
Dog in prohibited 19(4) $100.00 $65.00
19(1) Dog in public place without restraint $100.00 $25.00 $25.00
19(4) Dog in prohibited public place $100.00 $25.00 $25.00
may face fines from $100 to $300.
BylawAnimal Responsibility Bylaw No. 11-044Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022), Title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
ANIMAL RESPONSIBILITY BYLAW BYLAW NO. 11-044 This consolidation is a copy of a bylaw consolidated under the authority of

How it works

Under the Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044, a dog in a public place must be firmly held on a leash by a person competent to restrain it. The leash may be up to 2.4 metres, or a retractable lead up to 8 metres when fully extended.

In a leash-optional area the dog must be under effective control: in sight, and returning within three calls. The area must be open and not closed or under permit, and you may use it only at its listed times.

Good to know

  • There are 15 leash-optional park areas, each with set times in Schedule A. For example, Arbutus Park, Oswald Park and Vic West Park are all days 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and Barnard Park is 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. The City's Dogs in Parks page has a map and a list.
  • Dogs are banned in the dogs-prohibited part of Beacon Hill Park, Pioneer Square, Ross Bay Cemetery, Gonzales Beach from June 1 to August 31, playgrounds with sand, wood chip or rubber surfacing, and Finlayson Field in Topaz Park. The City page also lists the Beacon Hill Park heron rookery south of Goodacre Lake, and says only certified assistance dogs are allowed in no-dog areas.
  • The owner must immediately remove the dog's excrement and dispose of it lawfully, in a public place or on any private property other than the owner's. Guide animals are exempt.
  • A dog in a public place without restraint, or in a prohibited place: a bylaw notice (Bylaw 16-017) is $100 ($75 if paid within 14 days; $125 if unpaid 15 days after receipt). A municipal ticket (Bylaw 10-071) is $100 ($65 if paid within 30 days).
  • Dangerous dogs have their own rules; see the dangerous dogs answer.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Oak Bay · Esquimalt · View Royal · Saanich · Colwood · Langford

Dog leash rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Dogs in Parks, City of Victoria (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Animal Responsibility Bylaw 11-044 (consolidated to July 2022) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  3. Ticket Bylaw 10-071 (consolidated June 18, 2026), Schedule C (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  4. Bylaw Notice Adjudication Bylaw 16-017, Schedule B (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)

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.