Arvada, CO Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Section 14-54(a) of the Arvada City Code bars the owner or custodian of any animal, except cats, from permitting it to "run or go or be at large on any street or public place within the city, or upon the premises of any other person," without that other person's prior written permission. The section carves out an exception for city-designated dog training areas and off-leash dog park sites, but that off-leash privilege comes with detailed conditions: dogs may only be off leash between sunrise and sunset, must be leashed while entering or leaving the fenced enclosure, must stay with a person at least 18 years old, are capped at three dogs per owner, and are barred if they are dangerous, aggressive, in heat, unvaccinated, ill, or lack a current identification tag or traceable microchip.

Violating any of those off-leash conditions is itself treated as a running-at-large violation. Subsection (b) separately makes it unlawful to tether any animal on property other than the owner's without the property owner's or occupant's written permission, or to let a tethered animal reach adjoining property it is not tethered on. Dogs picked up running at large enter Chapter 14's impoundment scheme: an animal management officer can hold the dog, and the owner must pay shelter fees to redeem it within the shelter's set timeframe, or the dog can be placed under a court hold if the owner has a third or later running-at-large violation within one year.