Multnomah County Code 13.501 requires all dogs in Portland to be on a leash, chain, or other physical restraint not exceeding 8 feet when off the owner's private property, except inside Portland Parks & Recreation designated off-leash areas. A dog running at large is subject to impoundment under MCC 13.701 and a citation. The leash law applies in all city parks unless the area is posted as off-leash.
MCC 13.501 ('Running at large prohibited') makes it a violation to permit a dog to be off the owner's premises unless restrained by a leash, chain, or other adequate physical restraint, or unless on premises with the property owner's consent. The leash must be physically held or attached to a stationary object; voice control is not a substitute under county law. Portland Parks & Recreation maintains roughly 33 designated off-leash dog areas (OLDAs) listed at portland.gov/parks/dogs; outside those posted areas, leashes are required even within parks. PCC Title 20.12.090 (Parks) reinforces this by prohibiting dogs at large in parks. Multnomah County Animal Services (MCAS) is the primary enforcement agency, with assistance from Portland Park Rangers in park settings.
MCC 13.501 violations are typically cited at $150 for a first offense, with the dog impounded at the owner's expense under MCC 13.701. A second offense within 12 months escalates to $250+, and if the dog injures a person or another animal while at large, the dog can be designated 'potentially dangerous' under MCC 13.401 with mandatory confinement, signage, and insurance requirements. PCC 20.12.265 adds an exclusion order from parks for repeated violations.
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