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Animal Ordinances in Bergen County, NJ (2026)

2 rules for unincorporated Bergen County, New Jersey.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Bergen County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Dog Leash Laws

Bergen County's Parks System Rules and Regulations require every dog on county park property to stay on a leash no more than six feet long, except inside areas the county has specifically designated for off-leash use. Only household pets of a gentle nature are permitted in the parks at all, and any animal a law requires to be licensed must carry that license while on the grounds.

Bergen County Parks Six-Foot Leash Rule

Some Restrictions

Bergen County Parks System Rules and Regulations, Art. III § (b) Animals/Wildlife ¶¶4-5

4. Unless in a designated area, no animals or fowl shall be allowed to run at large on/or within park premises, and dogs on said premises shall be restrained by a leash not more than six feet in length. 5. Owners and caretakers must scoop up and securely bag or wrap the pet's droppings and deposit them in a waste container.

Wildlife Feeding

Feeding, harming, or interfering with wildlife anywhere in the Bergen County Parks System is prohibited outright under Article III of the county's Parks System Rules and Regulations. The ban covers deer, geese, ducks, and every other wild animal on park grounds, not just game species, and applies alongside a household-pets-only rule that keeps loose or feral animals out of the parks entirely.

Bergen County Parks Wildlife Feeding Ban

Heavy Restrictions

Bergen County Parks System Rules and Regulations, Art. III § (b) Animals/Wildlife ¶3

3. No person shall feed, harm, hunt, kill, wound, trap chase, remove, or interfere in any manner whatsoever with the wildlife in or on park premises or any part thereof.

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