Provo, UT Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Provo City Code 8.02.110
- Liability standard
- Strict liability, precautions irrelevant
- Restraint defined
- Leash, vehicle, or owner's property (8.02.010)
- Base penalty
- Infraction (own dog/cat, first offenses)
- Escalated penalty
- Class B misdemeanor after 3 fines/12 mo.
Summary
Provo bans any animal from running at large citywide and holds the owner strictly liable, even if the escape was accidental, with an animal defined as 'under restraint' only when on a leash, confined in a vehicle, or on the owner's property.
It shall be unlawful for any animal to be at large at any time within the corporate limits of the City. The owner or custodian of any animal which is at large shall be strictly liable for a violation of this Section, regardless of the precautions taken to prevent the escape of the animal and regardless of lack of knowledge of the offense at the time it occurs.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-17, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
110, Animals Running at Large, is direct: "It shall be unlawful for any animal to be at large at any time within the corporate limits of the City. " The strict-liability standard means a fence failure or a gate left open by someone else is not a defense. 015, most violations involving a person's own dog or cat are charged as an infraction rather than a Class B misdemeanor, unless the owner has been fined three or more times in the prior twelve months for the same animal, the violation is a statutory nuisance under Utah Code 78B-6-1101(1), or it threatens an identifiable third party's health or safety, in which case the higher misdemeanor level applies.
040 requires paying the impound fee, daily board charge, any veterinary costs, and the license fee if required, in amounts set by Municipal Council resolution. 150.
Violations & Fines
Letting an animal run at large violates 8.02.110 and is charged as an infraction for a first-time owned dog or cat, escalating to a Class B misdemeanor after three fines in twelve months, a statutory nuisance, or a threat to a third party, per 8.02.015; the animal may also be impounded under 8.10.010.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Provo a strict leash-law city?
What counts as an animal 'under restraint' in Provo?
What happens if my dog gets loose in Provo more than once?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Provo
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