Dogs in San Marcos must be on a leash no longer than six feet when on any public street, sidewalk, park, or other public area. Dogs must be licensed with the San Diego County Department of Animal Services and wear a current license tag and rabies vaccination tag at all times. Off-leash dogs are permitted only in designated off-leash areas.
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.
Dogs found at large may be impounded with retrieval fees starting at $35 for licensed dogs and higher for unlicensed dogs. Failure to license a dog is a misdemeanor under county ordinance. Owners of dogs that bite may face quarantine orders and dangerous dog proceedings. Failure to clean up after a dog may result in a fine.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Diego County.
See how other cities in San Diego County handle dog leash laws.
See how San Marcos's dog leash laws rules stack up against other locations.
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