Burlington County, NJ Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

" The six-foot cap means a retractable leash extended past six feet does not satisfy the rule even if the animal is technically attached, and the "physical leash" language rules out voice control or an off-leash dog that merely stays near its owner. The rule sits under the heading "PETS. HORSES" alongside Rule 20, which requires keepers to "promptly clean up, remove, and properly dispose of their animals' excrement," and Rule 21, which bars horses from Parks System property except on roads, trails or areas the County specifically designates for equestrian use.

Rule 22 makes pet and horse owners "strictly liable for any nuisance, noise, damage or injury caused by their animal," so an owner cannot avoid responsibility for a leash violation, an excrement complaint or a dog-on-dog incident by claiming the animal acted on its own. Because "except in those areas designated for that purpose by the Board" is the only carve-out, an off-leash dog area exists in the Parks System only where the Board has formally designated one; absent that designation, the six-foot leash rule applies everywhere in the park, including trails, picnic areas and the Rancocas Nature Center grounds.