Manchester, NH Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 90.12
- At-large ban
- citywide, at all times
- Leash exception
- dog secured inside a car
- Enforcement
- police impoundment under § 90.15
Summary
Manchester bans letting any dog run at large citywide at any time, and a dog on a public street, sidewalk, or lot counts as at large unless it's on a leash or chain someone strong enough to hold it.
No owner or keeper of any dog shall permit such dog, whether licensed or unlicensed, to run at large within the city at any time... a dog shall be deemed "at large" if that dog is on or being walked upon a public street, parking lot or facility, sidewalk, or right-of-way adjacent to a street and is not actually on a leash or chain or within a carrier which is in the possession of a person of sufficient strength and age to effectively restrain the dog.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-25: current through Ord. passed 6-3-2025).
Full Breakdown
City ordinance § 90.12 makes it unlawful for an owner or keeper to permit a dog, licensed or not, to run at large anywhere in Manchester at any time. The code defines a dog as at large on a public street, parking lot, sidewalk, or adjacent right-of-way unless it is actually on a leash or chain (or in a carrier) held by someone old and strong enough to control it. The leash rule doesn't apply if the dog is securely confined inside a car. Police may seize and impound any dog found running at large under § 90.15.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 90.12 draws the general chapter penalty under § 90.99(B), which incurs the citywide § 10.99 fine schedule; impounded dogs can also be seized on sight by any police officer under § 90.15.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my dog be off-leash on a Manchester sidewalk?
Is there any exception to the leash requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manchester
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Dog Leash Laws in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle dog leash laws.