Stanislaus County Dog Leash Laws

Americans love their dogs, and this definitely holds true in Stanislaus County. Spend any time in any of our communities, and you’ll see countless people out and about, having a day with their furry friends. We think of them as members of the family, and we do whatever we can to give them the best possible lives. Nothing is too good for our dogs.

One of the most fundamental duties we have to our dogs is to keep them safe from harm. That’s largely accomplished when out in public by way of leash laws. Stanislaus County, like everywhere else, has laws designed to confine dogs safely while out in public. This helps minimize the chance that something will go wrong.

Animal Control

To ensure the safety of your dog, other people, pets, wildlife, and the community, Stanislaus County Animal Services enforces strict requirements that dogs be kept securely on a leash when off private property (with limited exceptions for designated areas). When owners fail to restrain their dogs properly, it can result in at-large incidents, potential injuries, bites, or enforcement actions like citations and impoundment. For a list of animal control locations, see our Stanislaus animal control laws page.

If you’d like to see what the leash law in your community says, simply click on one of the incorporated communities in Stanislaus County below. You’ll be taken to the statutory language that governs dog leashes and/or dogs running at large.

Stanislaus County Dog Leash Laws

Stanislaus County leash laws apply to all unincorporated communities in the county. In addition, the following communities have either copied the statutory language or incorporated the laws by reference:

Ceres
Hughson
Newman
Patterson
Riverbank
Waterford

Stanislaus County Dog Leash Law Text:

Title 7, Chapter 7.16, § 7.16.010 Animal restraint.

A. No owner of any animal, wild or domestic, except the domestic cat, shall permit or suffer the animal to:

1. Be off a leash or to be restrained by a leash which is more than eight feet in length, except that an animal need not be on a leash while it is on the premises of its owner nor while on other private property with consent of that owner or lessee or tenant.

2. Enter upon private property without consent of the owner, lessee and/or tenant of the private property;

(Ord. CS 1136 §2, 2013)

Modesto Dog Leash Law

Modesto Dog Leash Law Text:

Chapter 4, Article 2, Section 5-4.203 – Leash Required.

(a) No dog shall be permitted in or upon any public street, alley, park, parkway, or other public place in the City or in or upon any property belonging to said City, unless said dog shall be on a leash and is under the complete control of the person owning or at the time in possession of said dog. Said leash in no event shall be of a length greater than eight (8) feet.

(b) The prohibitions contained in subsection (a) of this section will not apply to special use facilities, such as dog parks, as designated and posted by the Parks, Recreation & Neighborhoods Department.

(c) Notwithstanding anything in this section to the contrary, no person shall be compelled to keep any dog in his possession on a leash while in or upon any public street, alley, park, parkway, or other public place in the City, if at the time, said dog is securely confined in an automobile.

(Added Ord. 2766-C.S., § 1, effective 7-4-91; Ord. No. 3586-C.S., § 1, effective 5-9-13)

Oakdale Running at Large Law

Oakdale Running at Large Law Text:

Chapter 4, Article II, § 4-15 Running at large prohibited.

(a) It shall be unlawful for the owner or any person having charge, care, custody or control of any dog, whether licensed or unlicensed, to suffer, permit or allow the dog to run at large on any public street, alley, or place, or private property held open to the use of the public for parking purposes in the City at any time.

(b) Every person owning or having charge, care, custody or control of any dog shall keep such dog exclusively upon his own premises; provided, that such dog may be off such premises if it is under the control of a competent person and restrained by a substantial chain or leash not exceeding six feet in length.

[Ord. No. 1000, § 1.]

Turlock Running at Large Law

Turlock Running at Large Law Text:

Title 6, Chapter 6.1, § 6-1-307 Dogs running at large: Leash requirements.

No person owning any dog or having the care, custody, control, or possession of any dog shall suffer, allow, or permit such dog to run, be, or remain at large on any public street, road, alley, park, square, or other public place, or upon any private property other than the property of the owner or custodian of such dog without the consent of the owner of such property, within the corporate limits of the City, and all dogs may be deemed running at large within the meaning of this section unless tied, restrained by chain, strap, or cord eight (8′) feet or less in length, attached to their collars and actually held by some responsible person. Any dog found running at large on any public street, road, alley, park, square, or other public place, or upon any private property other than the property of the owner or custodian of such dog without the consent of the owner of such property within the corporate limits of the City shall be subject to seizure and impounding in the Animal Shelter.

(1064-CS, Amended, 05/23/2006; 1070-CS, Amended, 11/09/2006)