Inyo County, CA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Inyo County Code Chapter 8.20 governs dogs in the unincorporated county, enforced by Inyo County Animal Services (a unit of the Sheriff's Office). The leash requirement is geographically limited: in "densely populated areas" of the county designated by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, no owner may permit a dog to run at large, meaning the dog may not be off the owner's premises unless under restraint by a leash with a maximum length of six feet. Outside those designated densely populated areas, the County does not impose a blanket six-foot leash rule, though owners everywhere remain responsible for preventing their animals from trespassing, chasing vehicles, attacking passersby, or constituting a public nuisance. Violation of the running-at-large/leash provision is an infraction; on conviction the violator is subject to the procedure in California Penal Code section 19(c) and to fines set by the Board of Supervisors by resolution. Note that incorporated cities such as Bishop, and federal lands like Inyo National Forest, set their own separate leash rules. Always confirm whether your specific location falls within a designated densely populated area before relying on the off-leash default.