Washington County, MN Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)

Chapter IV, Section 2 of Ordinance No. " The same section layers on further limits: subsection (a) bars pets, except trained service animals, from conservation areas entirely, and subsection (b) excludes pets from a park's indoor facilities, campgrounds, picnic areas, beach areas, swim pond, playgrounds, and undeveloped or natural areas off designated trails, with exemptions only by Director approval or use permit. An emotional support animal does not count as a service animal under subsection (c), and misrepresenting a pet as one is a separately prosecutable state-law violation.

Owners must keep the leashed pet from disturbing or harassing other visitors, employees, contractors, or wildlife under subsections (e) and (f), may not run a dog sled, skijoring rig or other animal-pulled equipment off designated trails without a use permit under subsection (g), and may not tether a pet to a tree, plant, building or park equipment under subsection (h); pet waste must be picked up under subsection (i). Chapter VIII, Section 4 lets the county impound any pet found running at large and bill the owner an impoundment fee plus per diem charges under the county's pound-keeper contract.