Information | Rezoning for Housing

Public hearing on April 22, 2024. Proposed rezoning will support more housing options in all communities.

Learn more

Off leash dog areas and parks - FAQ

Bylaws related to dogs | Dog off-leash parks

Why is The City reviewing off-leash areas?

All of Calgary's off-leash dog areas are located within multi-use parks. There are no dog-only parks in Calgary except for a privately leased site located near Elliston Park. With the rapid increase in Calgary's human and canine populations over the past few years, there has been a corresponding increase in the use of off-leash parks by multiple users for a variety of activities.

What exactly will be reviewed?

The City of Calgary is reviewing the management of these designated public spaces. We want to find out citizens' likes and dislikes in these areas. Some of the topics being reviewed include:

  • Location and access to existing off-leash areas.
  • Establishing new off-leash areas in existing communities.
  • Minimum standards and facilities needed to create successful off-leash dog areas.

Does my dog need to be on a leash in parks and other public spaces?

The Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw 23M2006 states that dogs must be under their owner's control at all times. A dog that is out without an owner, or is tied up and left unattended is considered "at large". This is unsafe for both the dog an​d the public. The fine for an animal running "at large" is $100.

Dogs must be on a leash in all other public spaces not designated as an off-leash area to protect other citizens and your dog. Dogs must be on a leash that is no longer than two meters in length when on one of Calgary's pathways. This even applies to pathways that are situated in off-leash areas. This will help to protect other people and animals if your dog becomes frightened or excited and reacts unpredictably. This will also help protect your dog from unforeseen hazards such as cars, unfriendly dogs or coyotes.

The City has many off-leash areas created for you and your dog to enjoy. Even though dogs are allowed off-leash in these spaces, they must still be under their owner's control. This means the dogs must be able to respond to their owner's voice, sound or visual commands. The owner of a dog who is not under control in an off-leash area faces a fine of $100.

For safety and health reasons, dogs are not permitted in school grounds, playgrounds, tot lots, sports fields, golf courses, cemeteries or wading or swimming areas at any time.

Contact:

To contact Animal & Bylaw Services for general information, questions or to report a bylaw infraction, please call 3-1-1 (from within Calgary) or 403-268-CITY (2489) (from outside Calgary).

You may also be interested in:

​​​​​

undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null,undefined/null