Merced County, CA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Leash length limit
- 8 feet maximum
- Applies when
- dog is off owner's property
- Exceptions
- police, SAR, training, herding, hunting dogs
- Injury by at-large dog
- misdemeanor under § 7.04.070(B)
- First at-large infraction fine
- up to $50
Summary
Merced County requires any dog off its owner's private property to be on a leash or lead no longer than eight feet. The rule applies countywide in unincorporated areas, with narrow exceptions for police, search-and-rescue, obedience training, herding, and licensed hunting dogs.
No person shall permit or suffer a dog to stray from private property owned or legally possessed by the dog owner or custodian unless the dog is restrained by a leash or lead not exceeding eight feet in length, except in the following situations: 1. When the dog is assisting a peace officer who is engaged in law enforcement duties or when the dog is participating in a search and rescue effort at the specific request of a law enforcement authority; 2. When the dog is enrolled in and actually participating in a dog training or obedience course, exhibition, or competition conducted by an organization on private or public property with the permission of the owner or operator of the grounds of facilities; 3. When the dog is assisting the owner or person in charge of livestock in the herding or control of such livestock; or 4. When the dog is accompanying and under the direction of a person engaged in hunting on property where such activities are allowed, or on private property with written permission of the owner.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4930839; v8 updated 2026-06-02).
Full Breakdown
' The eight-foot cap applies whenever the dog leaves its own owner's property, not just on public streets. Four narrow exceptions excuse an unleashed dog: assisting a peace officer or participating in an authorized search-and-rescue effort, taking part in an organized training or obedience class or competition with the property owner's permission, helping herd or control livestock for the person in charge of that livestock, and accompanying a hunter on land where hunting is permitted or with the landowner's written consent. 010. 070(B) makes the owner or custodian guilty of a misdemeanor regardless of whether the leash-length rule was also broken, and the county can still pursue any more severe state or federal charge that applies. 320.
Violations & Fines
Letting a dog run loose beyond an eight-foot lead is an infraction under Section 7.04.320, fined up to $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second, and $250 for a third, with a second or later violation escalating to a misdemeanor. If the at-large dog injures a person or animal, Section 7.04.070(B) makes the owner guilty of a misdemeanor outright, on top of any state or federal charge the injury may trigger.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can my dog's leash be in unincorporated Merced County?
Are there any dogs exempt from the leash rule?
What happens if my dog's leash-rule violation leads to someone getting hurt?
Is a fenced yard enough, or does my dog need a leash there too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced County
California rules heatmap·Compare Merced County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.