Lee's Summit, MO Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Section 5-3 of the Code makes it unlawful for an owner, keeper, harborer or maintainer of any animal to allow or permit that animal to run at large, and it ties the ban directly to the restraint definition in Section 5-2: an animal is 'under restraint' only when it is inside a fully enclosed or fenced area, on a hand-held leash, on a leash tied to a fixed object or structure, or confined to its owner's residential premises by an electronic fence or electronic collar.

A dog in an open yard, on a porch, or loose on a sidewalk without one of those forms of physical control is running at large under the ordinance, even on a long line the owner is not holding. Section 5-2 also folds unrestrained animals into the chapter's public-nuisance definition, so a loose dog that chases a passerby, attacks another animal, or is 'not under restraint in violation of this chapter' can be cited as a nuisance animal on top of the at-large violation. Enforcement runs through the Supervisor of Animal Control, Animal Control Officers, humane officers, or any City police officer, all of whom may issue a citation and summons to Municipal Court under Section 5-30.

Section 5-137 backs the leash rule with impoundment: a dog or cat found not under restraint, abandoned, or improperly tethered may be picked up by any humane officer and held at the animal shelter for at least five days. A first, second or third offense lets the owner sign a waiver of prosecution and pay the standard fine after covering impoundment and board fees; a fourth or later violation forces a court appearance and whatever penalty the Municipal Judge imposes.