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Bucks County, PA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Leash limit
6 feet maximum
Dog Park
unleashed only if in sight
Entry requires
current license, rabies tag
Ordinance ticket
$25 to $100
Summary fine
up to $600, 10 days jail
Expulsion
6 months to 2 years

Summary

Bucks County's Park System Rules require every dog, cat and other pet to stay under the owner's control on a leash no longer than six feet anywhere in a county park, except inside the designated Dog Park. Owners must also carry a current license and rabies tag for the animal, and Park Police can ticket violations under Ordinance No. 170 as amended by Ordinance No. 174, Section 9.9. The rule applies only on county park property, not county-wide.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Bucks County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

A. Except in a Dog Park, dogs, pets, and other animals must be under control of the owner at all times by leash. No leash will be longer than six feet.

View official code

Full Breakdown

10 lets dogs run unleashed as long as the handler keeps the dog in direct line of sight. 9(B). 16, owners may not torture, abuse or neglect an animal, must pick up feces the animal deposits, may not carry a pet in a basket or on a leash while riding a bicycle, and may not let a pet swim in Department-controlled waters. 9(D) lets the Director bar an animal from the entire Park System for the rest of its life if it injures another animal or a patron in an unprovoked attack.

9(F) exempts ADA-defined guide, signal and service animals from the whole section. Park Police, given ordinance-enforcement authority under Section 13, issue citations for violations, and penalties run under Section 12: a summary conviction carries a fine up to $600 plus restitution and up to 10 days in jail, or the Department can instead issue a county ordinance ticket of $25 to $100. A violation can also draw expulsion from the Park System for six months to two years, appealable in writing to the Board of Commissioners within 10 business days.

Violations & Fines

Violating the leash rule is a summary offense under Section 12(A): a magistrate can impose a fine up to $600 plus restitution and up to 10 days' imprisonment. The Department can instead write a county ordinance ticket of $25 to $100 under Section 12(B); unpaid tickets go before a district justice. The Director can also expel the owner and animal from the Park System for six months to two years, with a 10-business-day window to appeal to the Board of Commissioners.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can a dog's leash be in a Bucks County park?
No longer than six feet. Section 9.9(A) of the Park System Rules and Regulations requires every dog, cat and other pet to stay under the owner's control on a leash of that length anywhere in the Park System, with the single exception of the designated Dog Park, where a dog can run unleashed as long as the handler keeps it in direct line of sight.
Can I let my dog off-leash in a Bucks County park?
Only inside the county's designated Dog Park under Section 9.10. Even there, the dog must remain in the handler's direct line of sight and cannot be permitted to stray, and it still needs a current year's license. Anywhere else in the Park System, Section 9.9(A) requires a leash no longer than six feet.
What happens if my dog bites someone in a Bucks County park?
Section 9.9(D) lets the Director bar the animal from the entire Park System for the rest of its natural life if it injures another animal or a patron in an unprovoked attack, on top of any fine or citation the owner receives under Section 12 for the underlying violation.
Does my dog need a license to enter a Bucks County park?
Yes. Section 9.9(E)(2) bars bringing a dog, cat or other domesticated animal into the Park System unless it holds a current year's license and an up-to-date rabies vaccination tag, regardless of whether it is leashed.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Bucks County

Parking Rules: Overnight ParkingSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Quiet HoursLight RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor SoundSome RestrictionsParking Rules: EV ChargingSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome Restrictions

All Bucks County rules

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