Ontario, CA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Leash length limit
- 6 feet or less
- Where required
- Off owner's own property, in public
- Off-leash consequence
- Dog impounded by Enforcing Officer
- Redemption
- License fee, redemption fee, care costs
- Unclaimed timeline
- 10 days (known owner) / 3 days
- Vicious dogs
- Governed by state Food & Agric. Code Sec. 31601
Summary
Ontario requires every dog off its owner's own property to be held on a leash no longer than six feet, controlled by a competent person, whenever it is on a public street, sidewalk, alley, or any private property other than the owner's own. A dog running loose in violation is impounded by the Enforcing Officer and held until reclaimed, adopted, or disposed of.
Sec. 6-1.213. Leashes. No person owning or harboring any dog within the City shall permit such dog, whether licensed or not, to be upon any public street, sidewalk, lane, alley, court, or any other public place or upon any private property or premises, other than those of the person owning or having control or custody of such dog, except when such dog is held under a leash six (6) feet or less in length, by a competent person.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-32: Current through Ordinance 3338, passed 7-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
213 bars any person owning or harboring a dog from letting it onto a public street, sidewalk, lane, alley, court, other public place, or any private property besides the owner's own, unless the dog is held on a leash six feet or less in length by a competent person. This applies whether or not the dog is licensed. 215 directs the Enforcing Officer to impound any dog found running loose under those same circumstances and to keep it impounded until it is claimed, destroyed, or otherwise disposed of.
An owner may reclaim an impounded dog by paying the license fee if applicable, a redemption fee, and food and care costs set by City Council resolution. If the owner is known, notice is mailed and the dog may be offered for adoption if unclaimed after ten days; if unknown, the shelter may act after three days. 214 adopts the state Food and Agricultural Code provisions on potentially dangerous and vicious dogs (beginning at Cal. Food & Agric. Code Sec. 31601) as the procedure Ontario follows for vicious-dog cases.
Violations & Fines
A dog found off its leash or off its owner's property is impounded at the shelter under Section 6-1.215 rather than fined at the roadside. Reclaiming the dog requires paying the applicable license fee, a redemption fee, and food and care costs set by City Council resolution; an unclaimed dog may be offered for adoption after ten days' mailed notice, or after three days if the owner is unknown.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a dog leash be in Ontario, CA?
What happens if my dog gets loose in Ontario?
How long does Ontario hold an impounded dog before adoption?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ontario
California rules heatmap·Compare Ontario to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Dog Leash Laws in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle dog leash laws.