Your Dogs and City Parks
Dog Parks and Facilities
- Approved Leash-Free Locations
- StoryMap of Dog Off-Leash Areas in the City of San Diego
- Map of Leash Free Dog Parks in San Diego County
- About Dogs at Beaches and Mission Bay
All dogs shall be maintained on a leash not to exceed 8 feet, including trails and canyons in all parks. For those parks that have been designated dog off-leash areas, dogs must be leashed until inside the posted boundary for the off-leash area.
Dogs benefit by being protected from rattlesnakes, ticks, traffic and various other hazards and distractions. Also, poison oak is spread from dogs to humans.
We understand that people love their dogs and want a place for them to run free, play fetch and socialize with other dogs. The City of San Diego has designated off-leash dog areas for just this reason. It is necessary to keep your pets within the boundaries of the posted "Designated Dog Off-Leash" areas. The perimeters may be unsafe for your dog (such as traffic, sharp objects that can injure them, etc.).
Please adhere to the posted park rules and also:
- always pick up after your pet;
- do not bring a puppy to the dog park until all required vaccinations are complete;
- be sure that your dog's required vaccinations are up to date for the health of all dogs on site,
- be sure that your dog is wearing a current license from the San Diego Humane Society.
If you would like to establish a leash-free dog park in your area, or add amenities to the existing dog park in your area, please contact us at Ask Parks. A public process may be implemented that will include input and evaluation from dog owners and community members.
Reporting Leash Law Violations
Reports of leash law violations in parks and on beaches should be directed to the Parks and Recreation Department using the Get It Done platform.
Animal Services and Fees
To learn more about the City of San Diego and San Diego Humane Society animal services and user fees, visit the Animal Services webpage.
Fines
Fines for violations associated with ordinances concerning dogs are publicly accessible in the Bail Schedule posted on the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego’s 2024 Misdemeanor and Infraction Bail Schedule. A downloadable PDF from their website is linked here: www.sdcourt.ca.gov/sdcourt/criminal2/criminalresources.
Please be advised that, ultimately, it is at the court’s discretion whether to impose any fines for the violation of these ordinances and how much to charge for such fines.
Progressive Warning Signage System
A new color-coded signage system launched on August 10, 2026, at three San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) locations as part of a pilot program to keep joint-use fields clean, safe and available to students and the public.
In recent years, joint-use field sites have become attractive to dog owners. While most pet owners use the fields responsibly, school staff have reported recurring instances of dog waste being left behind after public-use hours, creating unsanitary conditions for students, staff and other field users.
Under the pilot program, repeated incidents of dog waste and unsanitary field conditions may result in a field being temporarily closed to public use for 15, 30 or 60 days. New color-coded signs will show whether a field is open, at risk of closure or temporarily closed.
The City and SDUSD are asking community members to help ensure these fields remain safe and available for public use.
One reported incident of dog waste will move a field from green to yellow status, indicating that it is at risk of closure. Once in yellow, two additional incidents within a 30-day period will move the field to red status and result in a 15-day closure.
After the closure, the field will reopen in yellow status . Continued violations may result in subsequent closures of 30 and then 60 days. If no incidents occur for 30 consecutive days while in yellow status, the field will return to green.
The City's goal is to keep joint-use fields open and available to the public. The partnership with SDUSD expands recreational opportunities, particularly in communities where traditional park space is limited. These sites also advance SDUSD’s goal to develop quality schools in every neighborhood that provide resources and support the needs of the communities they serve.
Following the pilot program at the first three school sites, the program is expected to expand to additional joint-use locations over time, with the long-term goal of implementing the program at joint-use field sites across the City.
Pet owners looking for places where dogs can exercise off-leash can use more than 20 off-leash dog areas throughout the City of San Diego. Community members are encouraged to bring their pets to these designated spaces to enjoy the amenities and company of other dogs and dog owners.
To report off-leash dog violations throughout the City, residents can use the Get It Done app.
