Rockville, MD Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- 'At large' means
- Off premises, unleashed or unrestrained
- Default rule
- Leash or restraint required off-property
- Exemptions
- Eartipped feral cats, supervised off-leash areas
- Enforcement
- Municipal infraction, Sec. 1-9
Summary
A Rockville dog or other animal off its owner's property must be leashed or physically restrained. Sec. 3-21(1) makes being 'at large' an animal nuisance violation, with narrow exemptions for eartipped feral cats and supervised off-leash areas.
An owner of an animal is in violation of this chapter if such animal constitutes an animal nuisance or is a menace to public health or safety. The term "animal nuisance" shall mean and include, but is not limited to, any animal:
(1)That is at large, unless said animal is an eartipped feral cat, a dog that is off-leash in a designated off-leash area in a public recreation area while under the supervision of an owner who is at all times within sight and sound of the animal, or off-leash with permission as provided in section 3-23.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 3-4 defines 'at large' as an animal off the owner's premises and not leashed or otherwise physically restrained to prevent contact with people or other animals. Sec. 3-21(1) makes being at large an animal nuisance violation unless the animal is an eartipped feral cat, a dog off-leash in a City-designated off-leash recreation area while under the owner's sight-and-sound supervision, or off-leash under a Sec. 3-23 permit. 'Restraint' itself means a leash, lead, cage, or enclosure sufficient to prevent that contact.
Violations & Fines
An at-large violation is a municipal infraction under Sec. 1-9; repeated at-large incidents involving injury can also escalate an animal toward a 'potentially dangerous' or 'dangerous' designation under Chapter 3.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I let my dog off-leash in a Rockville park?
What counts as 'restrained' under Rockville's leash law?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockville
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