Pocatello, ID Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 6.04.040(A)
- Leash length limit
- No longer than 10 feet
- Kennel setback
- 30 feet from neighboring residence
- Off-leash exceptions
- Bartz Field, designated dog parks
- Enforcement
- Impoundment by Animal Services
Summary
City Code Section 6.04.040(A) makes it unlawful in the City of Pocatello to let a dog run at large on streets, public ways, or property without the owner's consent. A dog must be under restraint: either on a leash no longer than 10 feet with sufficient tensile strength, or secured in a vehicle so its claws and teeth cannot extend outside it.
A. Dog At Large Prohibited: It is unlawful for any owner/custodian to fail to keep any dog under restraint or to permit such animal to be at large upon the streets and public ways of the City or on public or private property without the consent of the owner of the property unless the dog is under the control of a person holding a leash no longer than ten feet (10'), securely attached to the animal and of sufficient tensile strength to restrain it, or unless the dog is confined in a motor vehicle in such a manner that neither its claws nor its teeth can extend beyond the exterior of the vehicle. Any dog found at large may be impounded as provided hereafter in this chapter.
Full Breakdown
Section 6.04.040(A), titled Dog At Large Prohibited, requires every owner or custodian to keep a dog under restraint at all times it is off the owner's own property without the property owner's consent, unless a person is holding a leash no longer than 10 feet that is securely attached and strong enough to actually restrain the animal, or the dog is confined in a vehicle so that neither its claws nor teeth extend past the vehicle's exterior. Any dog found at large may be impounded under the chapter's impoundment provisions.
Two narrow off-leash exceptions exist under subsection (B): Bartz Field on the Idaho State University campus, where nondangerous dogs may train or exercise off-leash under ISU's rules if controlled by voice or whistle command, and City-designated dog parks, where nondangerous dogs may play off-leash under the same voice-control standard; in both cases the owner must prove control to police or an animal services officer on request or risk impoundment. Subsection (C) extends the same at-large restraint standard to animals other than dogs. Subsection (D) separately bars locating any dog run or kennel within 30 feet of a neighboring residence, and subsection (F) bars leading, driving or riding horses, cattle, or other large animals across sidewalks, parkways, public parking areas, or public parks.
Section 6.04.030(C)(2) additionally bans dogs, on or off leash, from specific ballfields and soccer fields at named city parks (including Alameda, Halliwell, Hawthorne, and Ross Parks) and from all Pocatello golf courses during the March 1 to October 31 golfing season, with service dogs exempted.
Violations & Fines
Letting a dog run at large violates Section 6.04.040(A) and can trigger impoundment by Animal Services. Chapter violations are punishable under Section 6.04.220: unlicensed at-large violations are infractions carrying the fixed Idaho state infraction penalty, while other violations of the chapter are misdemeanors under Section 1.04.040, punishable by a fine up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a dog leash be in Pocatello?
Are there off-leash areas in Pocatello?
What happens if my dog is caught at large?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pocatello
Compare Pocatello to another location·View the Idaho animal ordinances overview
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