In Dakota County Parks, dogs must be on a static (non-retractable) leash no more than six feet long, except in designated off-leash areas. Away from county parks, leash-at-large rules are set by your city or township, not the county.
Dakota County Ordinance No. 107 (Park Ordinance), Section 4.6, controls pets on county park land: dogs must be caged or physically controlled on a static leash no longer than six feet, may not disturb visitors, and owners must pick up feces. The off-leash Dakota Woods Dog Park allows up to two dogs per owner, requires a pass, current license and rabies vaccination, and bars dogs declared dangerous/potentially dangerous, dogs under four months, and dogs in heat. Outside county parks, day-to-day leash and running-at-large rules are municipal — Eagan, Burnsville, Lakeville, Apple Valley and others each set their own animal-control code.
Park Ordinance 107 violations are punishable under Minn. Stat. 398.34 (misdemeanor / county-ordinance penalty). City leash violations carry separate municipal fines.
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See how Dakota County's dog leash laws rules stack up against other locations.
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