A cute small dog looks up to a person holding it's leash

City of Vancouver reminds dog owners to leash up

August 14 2025 –

As the summer season brings more people and pets outdoors, the City of Vancouver is reminding dog owners to keep their dogs leashed in public areas. Leashing your dog is the best way to keep them safe and allow everyone to enjoy shared spaces. Whether you're walking through your neighbourhood, visiting a park or exploring trails, a leashed dog helps prevent negative encounters with people, wildlife, and other dogs. 

“Even a well-meaning off-leash pup can cause harm or distress,” said Margie Fox, Manager of Animal Services. “Your friendly off-leash dog may approach a reactive dog, unpredictable wildlife or a person who is fearful of dogs. By keeping your dog on leash, you're showing respect for others and helping prevent avoidable incidents.”

Key reminders for dog owners:

  • Dogs must be leashed in all public spaces unless in a designated off-leash area.
  • In off-leash areas, owners must maintain control of their dog at all times, including keeping them within sight and ensuring they can be easily recalled.
  • Pick up after your pet. Always carry waste bags and dispose of them properly.
  • All dogs over three months old must have a valid City of Vancouver dog licence. Licensing helps reunite lost dogs with their owners and fees help support the Vancouver Animal Shelter.
  • See more helpful dog safety tips in the supplementary section below this news release.

For a full list of designated off-leash parks and information on licensing your dog, visit: vancouver.ca/dogs

Interested in adopting a dog?

The City of Vancouver operates a pro-adoption animal shelter, helping to facilitate 200 to 300 adoptions of dogs and other small animals each year.

Recognizing that pet ownership is a serious and lifelong commitment, shelter staff carefully review each adoption to ensure a strong match between the animal and their prospective new home. The shelter also has a foster-to-adopt program which provides prospective owners an opportunity to foster a shelter dog for a period of 21 days before committing to a full adoption. 

An up-to-date list of adoptable animals is available on Petfinder and Adopt-a-Pet .

For more information about the adoption process at Vancouver Animal Shelter, please visit vancouver.ca/adopt. 
Animal Services gratefully welcomes donations to support specialized medical care for animals with exceptional health needs. If you’d like to contribute, please visit our donation page.