Champaign, IL Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- At-large defined
- Off owner's property, not on leash
- Voice control
- Does not satisfy restraint requirement
- Own-yard rule
- Must be fenced, leashed or supervised
- Liability standard
- Absolute liability offense
- Consequence
- Impoundment by City's Animal Shelter
Summary
Champaign Code § 7-12 forbids any dog from running at large on public right-of-way or property other than the owner's without secure restraint by leash or other means. Even on the owner's own property, a dog is legally 'at large' unless confined by a fence, chain, leash or competent supervision that protects sidewalk and parkway pedestrians, and violations are absolute liability offenses.
(a)No dog shall run at large or be on any public right-of-way or property other than that of the owner without being securely restrained by a leash or other means.(b)Any dog running at large is hereby declared a nuisance and may be impounded as provided in this division.(c)A dog on its owner's property is at large if it is not contained on the property by means of a fence, chain, leash, competent supervision, or other visible means of restraint sufficient to protect pedestrians on city sidewalks or parkways.(d)The offense specified in this section shall be an absolute liability offense against the owner.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Section 7-12(a) bars any dog from running at large or being on public right-of-way or property other than the owner's without secure restraint by a leash or other means. Section 7-1(4) defines 'at large' as off the owner's premises and not under leash control, and specifically excludes voice control as sufficient restraint. Section 7-12(c) extends the rule to the owner's own yard: a dog there is still 'at large' unless contained by a fence, chain, leash, competent supervision, or other visible restraint sufficient to protect pedestrians on city sidewalks or parkways. Section 7-12(b) declares any at-large dog a nuisance subject to impoundment under the division, and § 7-12(d) makes the offense one of absolute liability against the owner. The section cross-references Chapter 30 (streets and sidewalks) and Illinois' impoundment statute, Ill. Rev. Stat. Ch. 8, § 359, and was adopted by C.B. 97-33 in 1997, amended by C.B. No. 2004-226 in 2004.
Violations & Fines
An at-large dog is declared a nuisance under § 7-12(b) and may be impounded by the City's contracted Animal Shelter under Article II of Chapter 7. Because the offense carries absolute liability, the owner is cited regardless of intent, faces a fine under the general penalty schedule in § 1-21, and must pay redemption and boarding fees under §§ 7-33 and 7-34 to reclaim the dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is voice-trained control enough to keep my dog off-leash?
Can my dog be loose in my own fenced yard?
What happens if my dog is picked up running loose?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Champaign
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