City of Riverside requires dogs in public to be restrained by a substantial chain or leash and controlled by a competent person; dogs running at large are a public nuisance. Enforcement is contracted to Riverside County Department of Animal Services.
Riverside Municipal Code (RMC) §8.04.050 prohibits any person owning or having charge, care, custody or control of a dog from intentionally or unintentionally allowing it to be or run at large upon any street or other public place, upon any unenclosed lot or place in the City, or upon the private property of another without the owner's permission, unless the dog is restrained by a substantial chain or leash and is in control of a competent person. The provision exempts official police dogs while on duty. Off-leash use is permitted only inside the City's designated dog park areas (per RMC Chapter 9.08, Use of Public Parks) and during sanctioned obedience training or shows. Title 8 (Animals) complaints in Riverside are referred to the Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS), which enforces field violations under County Ordinance No. 630 (rabies control / dog licensing). Under Riverside County Code §6.08.010 a dog is also 'at large' if off the owner's premises without physical restraint by a leash held by a capable person — voice, eye, or signal control alone do not satisfy restraint.
Running-at-large is a public nuisance under RMC 8.04. Violations may be charged as an infraction under RMC §1.15 (general penalty) with administrative citations typically starting around $100 for a first offense, $200 second, $500 third within a 12-month period, or as a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail. RCDAS officers may impound a dog found at large; impound, boarding, and license-reinstatement fees are billed to the owner before release.
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