Tinley Park, IL Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Leash length
- Stout leash, no more than 8 feet
- Off-leash exception
- Heeling obediently beside a competent handler
- Enforcement
- Animal Control Officer or any police officer
- Impound hold
- At least 5 days at contracted shelter
- Penalty
- $50 to $750 per § 10.99
Summary
Tinley Park requires every dog or animal off its owner's own property to be under control by leash or another recognized method. The code defines adequate restraint as staying on the owner's premises, being held on a stout leash no more than eight feet long, or heeling obediently beside a competent handler.
“RUNNING AT LARGE.” Any dog or other animal shall be deemed to be running at large when it is off the premises of its owner or keeper and not under adequate restraint of a competent person. A dog or animal is under adequate restraint within the meaning of this chapter if it is on its owner’s or keeper’s premises; or under the owner’s or keeper’s or other competent person’s control on a stout leash not more than eight feet in length; or at heel near a competent person and obedient to that person’s commands. ... It is unlawful for any owner of any animal or dog to maintain a public nuisance by permitting any animal or dog to leave the premises of its owner when not under control by leash or other recognized control methods.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-40: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance 2026-O-007, passed 2-17-2026, Resolution 2018-R-077, passed 10-2-18, and State legislation current through 2010 Pamphlet No. 7).
Full Breakdown
01 defines “RUNNING AT LARGE” as being off the owner's or keeper's premises and not under the “adequate restraint” of a “competent person,” meaning someone physically and mentally able to control the dog. 09 then makes it unlawful to maintain a public nuisance by letting any animal or dog leave its owner's premises without being under control by leash or another recognized control method; enforcement flows through the same public nuisance framework used elsewhere in Chapter 91 for at-large violations. 08, held at least five days, and released only after the owner shows proof of ownership, pays impound fees and produces a current rabies certificate and village license. 07, an owner cannot escape a leash citation by claiming a loose dog belongs to someone else on the same property.
Violations & Fines
Violating the leash requirement carries the § 10.99 general penalty of $50 to $750, with each day of the violation a separate offense. An unleashed dog found at large may be impounded immediately by the Animal Control Officer or police, and repeat at-large findings escalate into the § 91.07 microchipping and altering mandates on top of any fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I walk my dog off-leash in Tinley Park?
What counts as adequate restraint on my own property?
What happens if my dog gets loose and is picked up?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tinley Park
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