Manitou Springs, CO Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Restraint required
- Leash/cord/chain held on public property
- Voice control
- Not sufficient under § 7.04.020
- Exceptions
- Police/military dogs, feral cat TNR colonies
- Hitching ban
- Can't tie animal where it can reach a sidewalk
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under § 1.01.100
Summary
Section 7.04.020 requires every dog owner to keep their dog under physical restraint, meaning a leash, cord or chain in hand, whenever the dog is on public property in Manitou Springs, and voice control alone does not satisfy the requirement.
It shall be the duty of any owner or keeper of animal to restrain the animal by means of confinement, collar and leash, or bridle from running at large upon any public place in the city, and to prevent animal from becoming a danger to persons or property, or from trespassing upon the property of another. ... Specifically as to dogs, it is the duty of any person, as owner or keeper of a dog, to keep the dog under physical restraint to prevent such dog from being a danger to persons or property or trespassing upon the property of another without the permission of the owner or person in control of such property. Further, it is unlawful for any person as owner or keeper of any dog to fail to have the dog under physical restraint upon any public property within the city. This provision shall not apply to any dog while being used by a peace officer or by military personnel.
Full Breakdown
010 sets the general duty for all animals: owners must restrain by confinement, collar and leash, or bridle to prevent the animal from running at large, becoming a danger, or trespassing, and an unrestrained animal is declared a nuisance that can be taken up and impounded under Title 7. 010(V) defines narrowly as a leash, cord or chain held by the owner or keeper, so a dog that merely obeys voice commands still violates the ordinance if it is off-leash in public. 030 carves out limited exceptions: dogs or other animals used by the police department in the performance of duty, feral cats being introduced to or returned from a nonprofit-managed feral cat colony or trap-neuter-release program, and the mayor's authority to restrict animals at special events, though that authority cannot reach licensed assistance dogs for the sight- or hearing-impaired. 010(C) separately bans hitching an animal to a railing, tree, shrub or fence in a way that lets it reach a public sidewalk.
Violations & Fines
Violation is a misdemeanor under Section 7.04.040, punishable as provided in Section 1.01.100, and the court may consider mitigating factors about the animal's conduct in sentencing. An animal caught running at large is declared a nuisance and may be impounded under Title 7's general impoundment procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is voice control enough to comply with Manitou Springs' leash law?
Are any dogs exempt from the leash requirement?
What happens to a dog caught running at large in Manitou Springs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manitou Springs
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Dog Leash Laws in Nearby Cities
How other cities in El Paso County handle dog leash laws.