Leash-Free Dog Parks

Leash-free areas in the City of Burlington provide a great opportunity for your dog to get exercise and socialize with other dogs.

There are currently nine leash-free parks in the city and we are looking to add more around each GO station's residential area as they are developed. As parks come up for renewal, staff will assess the park's capacity, budget and the community's desire to add a leash-free area into the park.

Please keep in mind that not all greenspace is suitable for a leash-free area so staff will do a thorough site evaluation to compare against a set of best-practice guidelines. Any leash-free updates to a park will be shared through your councillor or on this web page.

Local leash-free areas

View all leash-free areas

Dog etiquette in leash-free areas

Here are some guidelines for dog owners to follow while using leash-free areas.

Aggressive dogs are not allowed. If your dog is bullying, please leave the park
Avoid bring infants and toddlers to leash-free areas
Always carry a leash
Always supervise children. Do not allow them to approach dogs that they do not know
Do not bring a female dog in heat to the park as her presence can create fights and aggression for the other dogs
Make sure you have control of your dog at all times
Make sure your dog is wearing a current license tag on its collar and has current vaccinations
Leave treats at home. While your dog might enjoy them, other dogs could have allergies or behavioral reactions to them.
Leave your toys at home. Regardless of your dog's reaction to toys, other dogs may have issues with guarding behavior
Pick up and dispose of your dog's waste
Pit bulls must be muzzled and leashed at all times according to the Dog Owners Liability Act
Remove your dog's leash once you enter the leash-free area. Mixing on-leash and off-leash dogs can cause stress in the leashed dogs which may lead to aggression
Always stay with your dog
You may have a maximum of two dogs off the leash at one time

Except for designated leash-free parks and private property, all dogs must be on a leash and controlled by a competent person in the City of Burlington. When visiting leash-free parks, be aware there are unleashed dogs at play. You are entering the park at your own risk.

Fines

Animal control bylaw enforcement takes place at all parks. Dog owners who do not have proper control of their dog or who do not follow the off-leash rules can be fined anywhere from $250 to $5,000.

Failure to clean up after your dog may result in a Provincial Offences ticket from $200. to $5,000.

Coyote Etiquette and Petiquette Pop-ups

Every other week, Animal Services hosts a Coyote Etiquette and Petiquette Pop-up. Residents are encouraged to stop by our pop-up table to ask questions and learn more about a variety of topics, including:

How to haze coyotes and coyote-proof your property
How to report off-leash dogs
Bylaws related to stoop-and-scoop
Leash-free areas around the city, and more!

Upcoming Coyote Etiquette and Petiquette Pop-Ups can be found on the Events Calendar.