BOZEMAN, Mont. - The City of Bozeman says off-leash pets are a big concern as the weather warms and people start walking their animals outside again.
Within the city, pets must always be physically restrained while not on privately-owned property, said Animal Control Officer Tim Wenthe. Animal Control usually starts seeing an uptick in off-leash reports during the spring and that carries into the summer, he said.
There are designated parks where dogs can be free to run around, and off-leash dog parks as well, but it is safe to assume if you are not at one of those, your pet should be on a leash, he said.
“What I often tell people, if the park has any kind of playground where children are, that park is going to be leash-required. But even if it doesn’t have a playground, unless it’s one of the nine off-leash dog parks, a leash is still required.
The City of Bozeman website lists the following parks as off-leash parks:
Burke Park
Canine Beach at the Bozeman Pond
Highland Park - the fenced and enclosed area on the southwest side of the Softball Complex
Snowfill
Gallatin County Regional Park – the area that adjoins West Oak Street and Davis Lane this is specifically identified as restraint-free.
Cooper Park
Centennial Park. 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.
West Paw Dog Park at Story Mill Community Park
Lewis and Bark Dog Park at Bozeman Pond Park
The penalty for an off-leash pet could be a warning or ticket. Tickets start at $100 per off-leashpet, and will go up by $100 for each offense, Wenthe said.
Pets may also not be tied up outside businesses. So, you cannot leave your golden retriever tied up while you retrieve your latte from a coffee shop downtown.
Wenthe said if there is a case where a restrained pet attacks a pet that is unrestrained, the owner of the unrestrained pet is liable.
“So, if the other dog owner tries to break up the fight and gets bit by either dog, you’ll be the dog owner that has the off-leash dog. [You] can be liable for vet bills, medical bills, and that liability can easily go into the thousands of dollars by the time all is said and done,” he said.
Some owners think restraints like shock collars are allowed, but the pet must by physically connected to its owner, Wenthe said.
More pet rules and laws can be found at Bozeman.net.
