Regina Dog Bylaws: What Owners Need to Know

The short answer

Regina dogs fall under Bylaw No. 2009-44, The Regina Animal Bylaw, 2009, freshly amended in 2026. Your dog must be leashed at all times in public (voice control no longer counts), licensed within 30 days ($25 altered / $100 intact), and any bite must be reported. Fines are progressive: a dog at large costs $150 the first time and $350 by the third. Off-leash dog parks are the only legal off-leash spaces in the city.

Heads up: This article is informational and is not legal advice. Bylaw text, fines, and fees change; the figures here reflect the 2026 amendments as published by the City of Regina and are current as of July 2026. For enforcement questions or the official bylaw wording, contact the City of Regina or Regina Humane Society Animal Protection Services directly.

Regina rewrote a big chunk of its dog rules this year. City council approved amendments to the Regina Animal Bylaw on March 25, 2026, and they became official on April 22, 2026. The headline change: dogs in public must now be leashed at all times. The old grey zone where a well-trained dog could walk off leash under voice control is gone. If you have owned a dog in Regina for a decade and think you know the rules, this is the year to re-read them.

The amendments also added a full table of progressive fines, gave Animal Protection Officers the power to demand ID and licence information, tightened the dangerous-animal provisions, and made bite reporting mandatory with real penalties. None of it is complicated, but all of it is enforceable, and the fines stack quickly for repeat offences.

If you are a new adopter, the good news is that compliance is cheap and simple: a leash, a $25 licence, and a bag on every walk. Every dog in the Regina rescue network already arrives fixed, which gets you the $25 altered-dog licence rate instead of the $100 intact rate. Our Regina spay and neuter guide covers that fee gap in detail.

What Changed in 2026

The 2026 amendment package came out of the city's multi-year animal bylaw review. Five changes matter most for everyday dog owners:

1. Always leashed in public, full stop

Dogs must be on a leash at all times in public. There is no “verbal leashing” allowance for dogs under voice control. The only exception is a designated off-leash dog park. This is the single biggest behaviour change for experienced owners.

2. A progressive fine table

First, second, and third offences now carry escalating set fines for at-large animals, off-leash-park violations, ID refusals, and unreported bites. The full table is below.

3. Owners must show ID to officers

Animal Protection Officers can require you to provide identification and licence information on request. Refusing is its own offence with its own fine.

4. Stronger dangerous-animal powers

On bite incidents, the city can now seek court orders, including seizure of the animal, while charges are still pending. Previously the animal's status stayed murkier until a case resolved.

5. Mandatory bite reporting with teeth

Failing to report an animal bite now draws a $150 to $350 progressive fine. Bites feed the dangerous-animal process, so the city wants every one on record.

The Leash Rule, In Practice

Everywhere in public means everywhere. Sidewalks, boulevards, school grounds, regular parks, pathways, parking lots. If the space is public and it is not a designated off-leash dog park, your dog is on a leash. A dog heeling flawlessly beside you off leash is still at large under the bylaw.

Off-leash dog parks are the carve-out. Regina's designated off-leash parks, including the fenced Cathy Lauritsen Memorial and Mount Pleasant sites, are the only public spaces where dogs can legally run free. You must stay with your dog while you are there; leaving a dog unaccompanied in an off-leash park draws a $50 to $150 fine. Our Regina off-leash parks guide covers each location, and the Wascana Centre dog guide covers that park's own rules.

Dangerous or aggressive dogs cannot use off-leash parks at all. Bringing one in draws the heaviest routine fine in the table: $200 for a first offence, rising to $400.

Why the change? The bylaw review heard from residents on both sides, and council landed on a bright-line rule. A bright line is easier to enforce and easier to follow: no officer has to judge whether your recall is reliable, and no owner has to guess whether their training counts. Leash on, question closed.

The 2026 Fine Table

Offence	1st	2nd	3rd
Animal at large	$150	$250	$350
Unaccompanied animal in an off-leash park	$50	$100	$150
Dangerous or aggressive animal in an off-leash park	$200	$300	$400
Failure to provide ID or licence info to an officer	$100	$150	$200
Failure to report an animal bite	$150	$250	$350

Progressive fines under the 2026 amendments to Bylaw No. 2009-44. Serious animal welfare offences fall under Saskatchewan's Animal Protection Act, which carries fines of up to $20,000 and is enforced separately.

Licensing: The 30-Day Rule

Every dog in Regina needs a city licence, and new dogs must be licensed within 30 days of arriving in the city. The fee structure rewards sterilisation: $25 per year for a spayed or neutered dog versus $100 per year for an intact dog. Since every dog adopted through a Regina rescue arrives already fixed, adopters land on the $25 rate automatically. Contact licences@regina.ca or 306-777-7717 to register.

Licensing also matters under the 2026 amendments because officers can now ask for your licence information on the spot, and a $100 to $200 fine applies if you cannot provide it. We keep the full walkthrough (vendors, renewals, what the City of Regina licence page requires) in our Regina pet licensing guide, so we will not restate it all here.

Bites and Dangerous Animals

Every bite must be reported. The 2026 amendments make failing to report an animal bite a fined offence: $150 first, $250 second, $350 third. Report through Regina Humane Society Animal Protection Services, which handles animal enforcement for the city. Reporting is not an admission of anything; it starts a process that protects the bitten person and gives you, the owner, a clear record of what happened.

Court-order powers kick in early. On bite incidents, the city can seek court orders, including seizure of the animal, while charges are still pending. That is new for 2026. In practical terms: a serious bite can remove your dog from your home before any conviction, so the stakes of managing a reactive dog are higher than they used to be.

Dangerous or aggressive animals are banned from off-leash parks. The $200 to $400 fine for bringing one in is the steepest routine penalty in the table. If your dog has a declared status or a known bite history, off-leash parks are simply off the table in Regina.

Prevention beats litigation. Most bites trace back to fear, poor socialisation, or a dog pushed past its threshold. If you have just adopted, give the dog decompression time before busy environments; our first-week rescue dog guide lays out the 3-3-3 timeline that keeps new dogs out of exactly these incidents.

What About Cats? (Honest Answer: Phase 2)

The 2026 amendments were dog-focused. Cats already need a city licence ($20 for an altered cat, per the Regina Humane Society fee page), but Regina has not adopted cat-at-large rules the way Saskatoon has. Roaming cats are not currently banned in Regina.

That is expected to change. Phase 2 of the city's animal bylaw review covers cats, with public consultation planned for 2027. If you own a cat, or you feed a neighbourhood cat you are slowly claiming, watch the Be Heard Regina project page for the consultation. We will update this guide when Phase 2 lands.

One thing we will not do is guess. Some cities cap pets per household; we have not found a verified pet limit in Regina's current bylaw materials, so we do not state one. When a number is not in the source, we say so.

The Five-Minute Compliance Checklist

✓Licence your dog within 30 days ($25 altered / $100 intact): licences@regina.ca or 306-777-7717
✓Leash on for every public outing; off-leash only inside designated dog parks
✓Carry ID and know your licence number; officers can ask for both
✓Stay with your dog at off-leash parks; never drop and leave
✓Report any bite immediately, no matter how minor it seems
✓Winter walks still count: leash rules apply at -30°C in January the same as in July (our winter dog care guide covers the cold itself)

Browse adoptable Regina dogs

Every Regina rescue dog arrives spayed or neutered, which means the $25 licence rate instead of $100. Listings updated regularly from Regina rescues.

See Available Regina Dogs →

Frequently Asked Questions

What bylaw covers dogs in Regina?

Bylaw No. 2009-44, The Regina Animal Bylaw, 2009. It covers licensing, leashing, at-large animals, dangerous animals, and bite reporting. City council approved a set of amendments on March 25, 2026 that took effect April 22, 2026, and those amendments changed the leash rule and added new progressive fines. If you read an older summary of Regina's dog rules, check the date. The 2026 version is stricter.

Does my dog have to be on a leash in Regina?

Yes, at all times in public. The 2026 amendments removed any room for “verbal leashing,” the practice of having a well-trained dog off leash under voice control. That no longer satisfies the bylaw anywhere in public except inside a designated off-leash dog park. A dog off leash on a sidewalk, boulevard, school field, or regular park is at large, even if it is heeling perfectly beside you, and the at-large fine starts at $150.

What is the fine for a dog at large in Regina?

The fine is $150 for a first offence, $250 for a second, and $350 for a third. “At large” means your dog is off your property and not on a leash. The progressive structure means repeat offences get expensive fast: three at-large tickets add up to $750. If your dog is a fence-jumper or a door-dasher, fixing the escape route is cheaper than the tickets.

Can a bylaw officer ask for my ID in Regina?

Yes. The 2026 amendments require owners to provide identification and licence information to Animal Protection Officers on request. Refusing carries its own progressive fine: $100 for a first offence, $150 for a second, and $200 for a third. Animal protection enforcement in Regina is handled by Regina Humane Society Animal Protection Services, so the officer asking is most likely from the Humane Society, not the police.

Do I have to report a dog bite in Regina?

Yes. Failure to report an animal bite carries a fine of $150 for a first offence, $250 for a second, and $350 for a third under the 2026 amendments. This applies to the owner of the animal that bit. Reporting matters because it feeds the dangerous-animal provisions of the bylaw, and it protects the person who was bitten. If your dog bites someone, report it, cooperate with the investigating officer, and talk to your vet about behaviour follow-up.

How much is a dog licence in Regina?

A spayed or neutered dog licence costs $25 per year. An intact (unsterilized) dog licence costs $100 per year. New dogs need a licence within 30 days of arriving in the city. You can reach the licensing office at licences@regina.ca or 306-777-7717. Our full Regina pet licensing guide covers the process, the vendors, and the renewal cycle in detail.

What happens if my dog is declared dangerous in Regina?

The dangerous-animal provisions carry the heaviest consequences in the bylaw. Under the 2026 amendments, the city can seek court orders on bite incidents, including seizure of the animal, while charges are still pending. A dangerous or aggressive animal taken into an off-leash park draws a fine of $200 to $400 per offence. If your dog has a bite history or serious aggression concerns, work with your vet and a qualified trainer before an incident forces the issue into court.

Are there off-leash dog parks in Regina?

Yes. Designated off-leash dog parks are the only public places in Regina where a dog can legally be off leash, and Cathy Lauritsen Memorial and Mount Pleasant are the two main fenced options. You must stay with your dog: an unaccompanied animal in an off-leash park draws a $50 to $150 fine. Our Regina off-leash parks guide covers locations, fencing, and etiquette for each park.

Does Regina have a limit on how many pets you can own?

We have not found a pet-per-household limit in the current bylaw or the 2026 amendment materials, so we do not state one. What the bylaw clearly does require is a licence for each dog, leashing at all times in public, and bite reporting. If you run a multi-dog household and want certainty on limits, ask the City of Regina licensing office directly at licences@regina.ca or 306-777-7717 rather than relying on second-hand summaries.

Do cats have bylaw rules in Regina?

Partly, and more is coming. Cats already need a city licence ($20 for an altered cat, per the Regina Humane Society fee page). But Regina does not currently have cat-at-large rules equivalent to what Saskatoon has, so the city has not banned roaming cats. Phase 2 of the animal bylaw review covers cats, with public consultation planned for 2027. If you have a cat, expect the rules to firm up after that.

Who enforces the animal bylaw in Regina?

Regina Humane Society Animal Protection Services enforces animal bylaws and provincial animal welfare law in the city. Their officers issue the progressive fines in Bylaw 2009-44, investigate bites, and handle at-large animals. Serious welfare cases fall under Saskatchewan's Animal Protection Act, which carries fines of up to $20,000. For bylaw complaints or to report a bite, contact the Regina Humane Society at 306-543-6363.

Did Regina really ban off-leash voice control in 2026?

Yes. Before the amendments, some owners relied on the idea that a dog under reliable voice control was effectively under control. The March 25, 2026 amendments closed that door: dogs in public must be physically leashed at all times, no exceptions for training level, with off-leash dog parks as the only carve-out. It is one of the clearest changes in the whole amendment package, and it is the one most likely to catch long-time Regina dog owners off guard.