Upland, CA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Max leash length
- 6 feet
- Cats
- exempt from leash rule
- Off-leash dogs per handler
- 2 maximum
- Off-leash dog minimum age
- 4 months, must be licensed
- Penalty class
- infraction, § 1.16.020
Summary
Upland Municipal Code Section 6.04.120 bars dogs (cats are exempt) from public streets, parks, sidewalks and unenclosed private property unless secured on a leash no more than six feet long, held by someone able to control the animal. The city carves out posted off-leash park areas, law enforcement dogs and organized training or shows.
No person owning or having control of any animal, not including any domesticated cat, shall permit such animal to be present upon any public street, sidewalk, school ground, public park, playground or any other public place, or any unenclosed private property not owned or lawfully possessed by such person, or upon any private property without the consent of the owner or lawful possessor thereof, unless such animal is secured by a leash no more than six feet in length. Such leash must be held by a person capable of maintaining control over the animal.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4480959; v4 updated 2025-09-22).
Full Breakdown
120(A) provides: no person owning or controlling any animal, not including a domesticated cat, may permit it on any public street, sidewalk, school ground, park, playground or other public place, or on unenclosed private property not owned or possessed by that person, unless the animal is secured by a leash of six feet or less held by someone capable of controlling it. Subsection B exempts law enforcement dogs, dogs in formal obedience training or dog shows, and dogs within a posted off-leash area established by city council resolution.
Subsection C then layers on detailed off-leash-area rules: no more than two dogs per handler, handlers must be at least 16 (minors need adult supervision), dogs must be four months or older, rabies-vaccinated and currently licensed, and owners must carry a waste-disposal container and keep a leash on hand even inside the off-leash zone. 130, bars dogs on foot from the 2nd Avenue Market Area during business hours, with exceptions for service, police and grooming-bound dogs. 180 may enter premises and impound any animal running at large.
Violations & Fines
Violating the leash requirement, including breaking any off-leash-area rule, is an infraction under Section 6.04.120(D), punishable as set forth in Section 1.16.020: up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a repeat within a year, and $500 for further repeats. Animals found running at large may also be impounded by the chief animal services officer under Section 6.04.180.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can my dog's leash be in Upland?
Are cats required to be leashed in Upland?
Are there off-leash dog parks in Upland?
What's the penalty for an unleashed dog in a park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upland
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