Bristol, CT Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Section 4-1 of the Bristol Code of Ordinances, carried forward from the 1960 Code Section 23-5, bars any person from allowing an animal to move along a street or public place unless the handler stays sufficiently near to exercise immediate control. The rule does not specify a leash length or type of restraint; the operative test is whether the handler can actually control the animal at the moment. Enforcement runs through Chapter 23, Ordinance Enforcement by Citation Officers: Section 23-2 designates Chapter 4, Animals and Fowl, as one of the chapters citation officers, including Bristol Police Department officers and the animal control officer, are empowered to enforce by citation rather than a criminal complaint.

Under Section 23-5, a Chapter 4 citation carries a ninety-dollar ($90.00) fine, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense, so an animal repeatedly allowed to run loose can generate multiple citations. The city also adds an administrative fee of two dollars ($2.00) for every ten dollars ($10.00) of the fine, or any fraction of it, on top of the base penalty. If a citation is not paid or is under appeal, the initial fine doubles after fifteen days and triples after thirty days, giving an owner a narrow window to resolve a citation before the cost climbs sharply.

Because Section 23-1 requires a citation officer to first issue a written warning before a citation issues, a first loose-dog complaint typically produces a warning rather than an immediate fine.