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An illustration of a police officer walking down a city street.
(Supplied by Gigafact.)

Yes.

Anyone who lets their dog “run at large” outside their property or certain off-leash areas in Denver can face steep fines. 

The city’s leash law requires that dogs be leashed in public unless they are in a designated off-leash area, including dog parks.

Under Denver municipal code, leash-law violations can technically result in a fine of up to $999 and even jail time. In practice, people generally receive lower fines, which depend on the department that issues them. 

Denver park rangers issue a $100 fine for a first offense, $250 for a second offense and $500 for  a third or subsequent offense within the same year. Denver Animal Protection issues $80 tickets for a first offense, $150 for the second and $300 thereafter. 

Broomfield, Thornton and Aurora have similar leash laws. Boulder offers annual licensing that allows dogs to be off leash in designated areas under “voice and sight control.”

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Sources

Corrections:

This fact brief was updated at 3:30 p.m. March 9, 2026, to reflect that Denver city code allows for fines up to $999 for off-leash violations. Typically lower fines are issued, which vary depending on the department that issues them.

Type of Story: Fact-Check

Checks a specific statement or set of statements asserted as fact.

Cassis Tingley is a Denver-based freelance journalist. She’s spent the last three years covering topics ranging from political organizing and death doulas in the Denver community to academic freedom and administrative accountability at the...