Do I need a dog licence? What are the leash rules?
In the County municipality of Colchester, Nova Scotia, licence required: True; licence fee: Application fee as set in Municipal Fees Policy (amount not stated in by-law); fines: $1,000-$10,000 and imprisonment up to two months in default; licence required: True. Source: Commercial Dog Care and Kennel Facility By-law — Chapter 36; Dog By-law — Chapter 35; Livestock Control By-law — Chapter 14, verified 2026-06-05.
| licence required | True | s. 3.1 |
| licence fee | Application fee as set in Municipal Fees Policy (amount not stated in by-law) | s. 3.3.3 |
| fine range | $1,000-$10,000 and imprisonment up to two months in default | s. 5.3 |
Establishes siting and design standards for commercial dog care and kennel facilities to moderate noise and ensure land-use compatibility. Approved by Council April 24, 2025.
| licence required | True | s. 2; s. 3 |
| licence fee | Lifetime registration fee as set in Municipal Fee Policy (amount not stated in by-law) | s. 4 |
| leash rule | Off owner's premises without apparent restraint/control is running at large; in Development Areas dog must be on harness or leash off owner's property | s. 12; s. 13 |
| fine range | penalty not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 90 days, or both | s. 28 |
Regulates dog registration (lifetime), leashing, and control within the Municipality of Colchester. Approved by Council March 27, 2024.
| leash rule | No livestock owner shall allow livestock to run at large on property not owned by them without permission; livestock off owner's property must be enclosed or securely tethered/held | s. 3.1; s. 4.1(a) |
| fine range | $100-$5,000 | s. 6.1 |
Regulates keeping and control of livestock within the Municipality of the County of Colchester. Final reading September 25, 2024.