Naperville, IL Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Leash Rule
- Required on streets, sidewalks, public places
- Covers
- Dogs, cats, and other kept animals
- Consequence
- Impoundment plus redemption and boarding fees
- Repeat Offenses
- Problem pet owner status, $100-$500 fines
Summary
Naperville requires dogs and cats to be held securely on a leash in any street, alley, sidewalk, or public place; off-leash animals there are legally running at large and subject to impoundment.
No person shall cause or permit any dog, cat, or other animal owned or kept by them to run at large within the City. Dogs or cats which are on any street, alley or sidewalk, or any other public place, without being held securely on a leash shall be deemed to be running at large. It shall be unlawful to permit any dog or cat to run at large on the property of anyone but the owner thereof without the permission of the owner of the aforementioned property.
(Ord. No. 22-044, § 2, 5-3-2022)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 101).
Full Breakdown
Naperville's running-at-large ordinance covers dogs, cats, and other kept animals: any animal on a street, alley, sidewalk, or public place without a secure leash is legally running at large, full stop. The rule also bars turning an animal loose on someone else's property without that owner's consent, even off the public way. Animal Control officers or police can pick up a loose animal and take it to the pound under the City's impoundment procedures, where owners face redemption fees plus boarding costs to reclaim it.
Violations & Fines
Running at large is a strict-liability violation. Animal Control or police may impound the animal, and repeat offenders risk 'problem pet owner' designation with fines of $100-$500 per day of noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Naperville require dogs to be leashed?
Can my dog be off-leash in someone else's yard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Naperville
Compare Naperville to another location·View the Illinois animal ordinances overview
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