Pima County, AZ Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- At-large penalty
- $100-$750 fine, up to 4 months jail
- Waste violation penalty
- $100-$500 fine, up to 30 days jail
- Geographic scope
- Unincorporated Pima County only
- Enforcing agency
- Pima Animal Care Center
- Minimum fine
- Cannot be suspended by a judge
Summary
In unincorporated Pima County, letting a dog run loose on streets, sidewalks or private property (yours or someone else's) is a Class 2 misdemeanor carrying a mandatory $100-$750 fine. Owners must also immediately clean up after their dog on public or private property, backed by a separate misdemeanor penalty.
A. The owner of a dog or canine-wild animal hybrid that is found at large upon the streets, sidewalks, alleys, or public property is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. B. The owner of a dog or canine-wild animal hybrid that is found at large upon the premises of the owner or upon the private premises of any other person is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. ... D. Penalty. A violation of any provision of this section is punishable by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than seven hundred fifty dollars, four months in jail, two years' probation, or any combination thereof. No judge may grant probation in lieu of, or otherwise suspend, the imposition of the minimum fine prescribed herein.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-64: Contains Supplement, with local legislation through Ordinance 2026-9, passed 7-28-2026, current through 7-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
010); Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita and South Tucson enforce their own codes. 020(A)). Subsection A makes it a Class 2 misdemeanor for a dog to be at large on streets, sidewalks, alleys or public property; subsection B applies the same Class 2 misdemeanor even when the dog strays onto the owner's own premises or another private owner's land. Four narrow exceptions exist under subsection C: dogs at an approved field trial, obedience class or kennel club event; dogs being trained for or used in legal hunting or livestock control; dogs assisting a peace officer on duty; and guide dogs under direct voice control assisting a blind, deaf or physically handicapped person.
Subsection E separately requires an owner to immediately remove and dispose of any solid waste the dog leaves on public property or on private property without the property owner's consent, though that duty doesn't authorize trespassing to retrieve it. Waste-removal violations are a Class 3 misdemeanor under subsection F, distinct from and less severe than the at-large penalty. Subsection G exempts blind persons, people with mobility disabilities, and on-duty law enforcement officers with police dogs from the waste-removal duty. 040.
Violations & Fines
At-large violations (subsections A and B) are a Class 2 misdemeanor: a fine of $100 to $750, up to four months in jail, and up to two years' probation, in any combination; the minimum fine can never be suspended or replaced with probation. Failing to pick up dog waste is a separate Class 3 misdemeanor: $100 to $500, up to 30 days in jail, and up to one year of probation, with the same bar on suspending the minimum fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this leash law apply inside Tucson?
Is my dog considered "at large" in my own fenced yard?
Are there any exceptions to the at-large rule?
What happens if I don't pick up after my dog?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pima County
Compare Pima County to another location·View the Arizona animal ordinances overview
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