Mobile, AL Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Restraint required
- on and off owner's property
- Public leash length cap
- 10 feet
- Unattended tethering
- prohibited
- Trolley tether minimum age
- 6 months
Summary
Mobile requires every dog owner to keep the animal on a leash or other effective restraint at all times, on or off their own property, with added limits on tethering.
It shall be the duty of every owner, keeper, or person in charge to keep his or her animals on a leash or other effective restraint whether or not the animal is upon or away from the owner's premises.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 7-10 imposes a blanket duty on owners, keepers, or persons in charge to keep animals on a leash or other effective restraint whether the animal is on or away from the owner's premises. Sec. 7-23 defines 'running at large' and only excuses an off-premises dog if it is on a leash no longer than 10 feet, at a designated dog park, herding livestock, with a vet or groomer, or working in law enforcement. It also bars tethering a dog to a doghouse, tree, post, or stake unless the owner is physically present, and bans trolley/pulley tethers for dogs under six months old or during freezing temperatures and severe-weather warnings.
Violations & Fines
Letting a dog off-leash and unconfined away from the owner's property, or chaining it unattended to a stationary object, is a municipal offense subject to citation and possible impoundment by animal control.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I let my dog off-leash in my own yard in Mobile?
Can I tie my dog to a tree and leave it unattended in Mobile?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mobile
Compare Mobile to another location·View the Alabama animal ordinances overview
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