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

Dog control in New Jersey is delegated to municipalities under N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.1 through 4:19-15.32 (the Dog Licensing Act), which requires every municipality to license dogs over 7 months old, collect rabies certificates, and adopt local ordinances prohibiting dogs from running at large. Middlesex County itself does not maintain a residential leash ordinance, but the Middlesex County Department of Parks & Recreation requires all dogs in county parks (Thompson Park, Roosevelt Park, Johnson Park, Davidson's Mill Pond Park, etc.) to be on a leash no longer than 6 feet at all times, except in designated dog parks. Edison Township Code Chapter 9, Article I (Dogs) explicitly requires that any dog off the premises of its owner be 'accompanied by a person who is capable of controlling it and who has the dog securely confined and controlled by an adequate leash not more than six (6) feet long.' Edison also prohibits chaining or tethering of unspayed/unneutered dogs; tethering of altered dogs requires a 15-foot tether with operative swivel and a buckled collar/harness. Enforcement is shared by the Edison Police Department, Edison Health Department, and the Edison Animal Control Officer. New Brunswick has its own Animal Control Officer and uses the Associated Humane Societies/Tinton Falls shelter. Statewide, N.J.S.A. 23:4-25 separately addresses dogs running at large in woods or fields, and N.J.S.A. 4:19-22 (dangerous dog statute) imposes muzzle and confinement requirements for dogs declared dangerous after a court hearing. Cleanup of dog waste is also locally mandated; most Middlesex towns require carry-out and proper disposal.