Apple Valley, MN Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Section 91.17(A) of the Apple Valley Code of Ordinances is a flat rule: no dog can run at large in the city at any time. Chapter 91 defines at large as off the premises of the owner and not controlled by leash, confined in a vehicle or caged, so a dog in a fenced yard is on the owner's premises, while a dog on a public sidewalk without a leash is at large. The one exception is a city-designated off-leash dog area within a city park, and only while the owner complies with that area's requirements.

Section 91.17(B) lists what an owner or supervisor must satisfy to use an off-leash area. The dog must be at least four months old, must not be a female in heat, and must not have been declared dangerous or potentially dangerous by the city or another jurisdiction. It must hold all current vaccinations required by the chapter and wear its tags. The owner or supervisor must be at least 16 years old and present inside the area, keep the dog in sight and close enough to restrain it, bring no more than three dogs, and carry a leash of no more than six feet for each dog. Collars with outwardly facing prongs or spikes are not allowed, the dog cannot dig or excessively bark, and waste must be picked up immediately. A dog that becomes aggressive with other dogs or persons, or whose owner is told by a city employee, police officer or community service officer to leave, must be leashed and removed at once.

Enforcement runs through § 91.18. The city can seize, impound or restrain an unlicensed dog, an untagged dog or a dog at large, and officers can enter property where they have reasonable cause to believe one is present. The poundmaster holds a dog for redemption for at least five regular business days. Release requires a current license tag or receipt and payment of impounding and per-day care fees from the appendix to Chapter 35.