Wake County Code §91.07 prohibits owners from permitting any animal to be at large in unincorporated Wake County, and §91.07(C) requires dogs to be on leash at all times in any public park unless the park is designated as a dog park.
Wake County does not impose a county-wide leash law on every street — only an 'at-large' prohibition: an animal must be restrained, confined to the owner's property, or under the owner's direct control. Exceptions under §91.07 allow off-leash dogs at sanctioned shows, obedience classes, tracking tests, field training, and hunting under owner control. In public parks, leash is mandatory unless the park is a designated off-leash dog park. Animal Control may confiscate any at-large animal and impound it under §§91.50-91.58. Inside Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Garner, Wake Forest and other towns, municipal animal-control codes apply instead — most require leashes on all public property.
First violation: civil penalty plus impoundment fee at the Wake County Animal Center; repeat violations escalate. Owner is liable for boarding costs while the animal is impounded. Failing to redeem within the holding period results in the animal becoming county property.
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See how Wake County's dog leash laws rules stack up against other locations.
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