San Marcos, CA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

San Marcos requires all dogs to be restrained on a leash not exceeding six feet in length when in any public place, including streets, sidewalks, trails, and city parks. Dogs must be under the control of a person capable of restraining the animal at all times. San Diego County law requires all dogs over four months of age to be licensed through the County Department of Animal Services and vaccinated against rabies. License tags and rabies tags must be worn on the dog's collar. Dogs found running at large may be impounded by San Diego County Animal Services. The San Marcos dog park at Lakeview Park provides a fenced off-leash area where dogs may run freely under owner supervision. Dogs must be removed from the off-leash area if they display aggressive behavior. Owners must clean up after their dogs in all public spaces. The San Diego Humane Society operates animal services for the region and can be reached for stray dog reports and animal emergencies. The San Diego County Sheriff's non-emergency line at (760) 510-5200 handles animal-related disturbance calls in San Marcos.