Blaine, MN Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Section 14-106 states the rule in one sentence: all dogs will be kept under restraint by their owners at all times, with no exception for fenced yards, off-leash hours, or dog parks written into that section. The Code's definitions section, § 14-1, sharpens what 'restraint' and 'at large' mean in practice. 'Restraint' means under control and on a leash, but the definition adds a pointed caveat: an unattended dog or other domestic animal on another person's property, without that property owner's consent, is at large and not under restraint even though it is on a leash.

'At large' is simply defined as not under restraint as defined in the section. Enforcement runs through Blaine's animal control authority and city police officers under § 14-27, who patrol the whole city including manufactured home parks and camping areas. When a dog is found running at large, § 14-49 lets an animal control officer or police officer seize it and either return it to a known owner per department policy or impound it at the designated animal shelter for a minimum of five days.

Complaints for dogs at large are issued according to Blaine Police Department policy. An owner who wants their dog back must comply with the license and rabies vaccination requirements of the animal chapter and pay the impoundment fees set in § 14-51 before the dog can be redeemed under § 14-50.