Bergenfield, NJ Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Maximum leash length
- 6 feet
- Minimum handler age
- 12 years old
- At-large ban covers
- Streets, parks, buildings, private property
- Dog park exception
- Leashed transit dawn to dusk
- Dog park fine
- $50 flat per offense
- Curbing exception
- Between curblines, feces removed immediately
Summary
Bergenfield bans dogs running at large on any public street, park, building, or private property, and separately requires any dog in a public place to be on a leash no longer than six feet, held by someone at least 12 years old. A fenced dog park near dawn and dusk is the only carve-out.
Running at large. No person owning, keeping, harboring, or in charge of any dog shall allow it to run at large upon the public streets, in any public park, in any public building, and/or on any private property within the Borough with the exception of any park wherein owners with their dogs may enter between dawn and dusk to access the dog park with their dog leashed at all times while outside the perimeter of the park and until entry into the dog park. ... Leashing of dogs. No person owning, keeping or harboring any dog shall suffer or permit it to be upon the public streets or in any of the public places of the Borough unless the dog is accompanied by a person over the age of 12 years and is securely confined and controlled by an adequate leash not more than six feet long.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 95, Section 95-8 of the Borough Code sets Bergenfield's leash rules in two overlapping subsections. Subsection D bars any dog from running at large on public streets, in any public park, in any public building, or on private property anywhere in the Borough, with a single exception added by Ordinance No. 17-2520 in 2017: owners may bring a leashed dog through a park between dawn and dusk to reach the dog park, so long as the dog stays leashed until it enters the fenced dog-park area itself.
Subsection E goes further for anywhere the dog is in a public place: the dog must be accompanied by a person over the age of 12 years and securely confined and controlled by an adequate leash not more than six feet long. Together the two subsections mean an unleashed dog on a public street is a violation even if a responsible adult is nearby, and a leash longer than six feet does not satisfy Subsection E. m. (Subsection G), and from defecating on public or private property without cleanup, though Bergenfield permits curbing a dog in the street between the curblines if the owner immediately removes and sanitarily disposes of the feces (Subsection H).
Bergenfield's fenced dog park, added by Ordinance No. 18-2525 in 2018, carries its own rules under Section 95-28, including a $50 fine for any violation there, exclusion of dogs under four months old or in heat, and a ban on leaving a dog unattended.
Violations & Fines
The Police Chief or an official the Mayor and Council designate enforces Section 95-8, and Section 95-10 sets the general Chapter 95 penalty at not less than $5 nor more than $50 per offense for violations the article does not separately price. Inside the fenced dog park, Section 95-28F fixes a flat $50 fine per offense for any rule violation there, including an unleashed or unattended dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can my dog's leash be on a Bergenfield street?
Can I let my dog off-leash in a Bergenfield park?
What is the fine for an unleashed dog in Bergenfield?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bergenfield
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