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

Section 2(l) of the Gloucester County Parks Rules & Regulations goes further than an ordinary leash law: it bars any visitor from bringing or releasing "any pet or animal of any species, whether domestic or wild," into a Park Area at all, meaning dogs are not permitted in Gloucester County parks even on a leash unless an exception applies. The subsection carves out two exceptions by cross-reference to state law: the accompaniment of "guide dogs," "service dogs," "seeing eye" dogs or other authorized service animals by qualified persons under N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq., and the use of an animal by members of a police, fire, law enforcement or other emergency service agency under N.J.S.A. 10:5-29.7 et seq.

The pet ban complements Section 2(c), which separately forbids molesting, harming, frightening, killing, trapping, chasing, teasing, or throwing objects at any wild animal or bird encountered in a park, and Section 2(v), which bars feeding geese, ducks, waterfowl, or other wildlife at any time and threatens ejection from the park plus fines "as prescribed by law or other penalty as may be periodically imposed by resolution of the County of Gloucester" for feeding violations specifically.

Parks and Recreation Department staff administer Section 2(l) under Section 3(e), and may direct a visitor with a non-exempt pet to leave the park under Section 3(f) or call for law enforcement assistance. A conviction carries the standard penalty of fines or imprisonment, or both, for each offense under Section 3(g), with the prosecution brought in the name of the County of Gloucester.