Franklin County, WA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Leash length
- No more than 6 feet, held by a competent person
- At-large area
- Off owner's premises or on public streets/parks
- Enforcement
- Franklin County Sheriff's Office animal control authority
- Impound hold
- Up to 10 days at county animal shelter
- Impound cost
- $100 fee plus $10 per day kenneling
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to $150 fine or 60 days jail
Summary
Franklin County Code § 6.04.010 requires a dog off its owner's property to stay on a leash or chain no longer than 6 feet, held by someone able to control it, or it counts as 'at large' and can be impounded by the Sheriff's Office animal control authority.
"At large" means off the premises of the owner or upon the public streets, alleys, public grounds, school grounds, or parks within Franklin County, provided, however, an animal shall not be deemed at large if it is: 1.Attached to a leash or chain sufficient to restrain the animal, not more than six feet in length, when said leash or chain is held by a person competent to restrain and control the animal off the owner's premises;2.Properly restrained within a motor vehicle;3.Housed in a veterinary hospital;4.Accompanied by, and "at heel" beside, the owner or a competent responsible person;5.Left unattended on the owner's premises, and it is so confined, tied, or restrained as to be unable to range beyond the owner's premises. ... Violation of any provisions of this chapter which have not otherwise been specifically enumerated by a penalty shall constitute a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00), or by imprisonment in the Franklin County jail for not more than sixty (60) days or by both fine and imprisonment, and payment of all costs associated with prosecution of the offense.
Full Breakdown
010 defines 'at large' as off the owner's premises or on public streets, alleys, public grounds, school grounds or parks within Franklin County, unless the dog fits one of five exceptions: it is on a leash or chain no more than six feet long held by someone competent to control it; properly restrained inside a vehicle; housed in a veterinary hospital; 'at heel,' within two feet of a competent handler; or left confined on the owner's own premises so it cannot range beyond them. 100 alongside this chapter.
060, held up to 10 days; if no owner pays the impound costs in full, the animal is destroyed at the end of that period. Reclaiming an impounded animal costs a $100 initial impound fee plus a $10-per-day kenneling charge, both payable to the county animal control authority. 030 based on a citizen complaint, a bite report, or an officer's own observation, triggering additional registration and restriction requirements, and an owner has 10 days to appeal that declaration to Franklin County District Court.
Violations & Fines
Section 6.04.110 makes any violation of Chapter 6.04 not otherwise assigned its own penalty a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $150 fine, up to 60 days in the Franklin County jail, or both, plus the costs of prosecution. An animal impounded for running at large is not released until the owner pays the $100 impound fee and $10-per-day kenneling costs, and a dangerous dog also needs a completed dangerous-dog registration before release.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to leash my dog in unincorporated Franklin County?
What happens if the Sheriff's Office picks up my loose dog?
What is the fine for letting a dog run at large?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Franklin County
Compare Franklin County to another location·View the Washington animal ordinances overview
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