Department of Parks and Recreation: Dog Park FAQs

Public dog parks are open to all residents of the District of Columbia. DPR will not charge fees for use of dog parks.
Dog parks located on the grounds of a DPR facility will be open the same hours as the facility.
Dog parks located on non-lighted grounds or parks will be open from dawn to dusk.
All dogs using a dog park must be licensed and registered in the District of Columbia. All dogs are required by law to be vaccinated and registered.
All dogs must display a Dog Park Registration Tag*, and other tags as required by law.
A maximum of 30 dogs per 10,000 square feet may be in a park at one time. Please refer to signage at each dog park for specifics at that location.

How was the dog parks legislation and rules created?

The Council of the District of Columbia unanimously passed legislation, DC Act 16-182*, amending the Animal Control Act of 1979, effective October 18, 1979 (DC Law 3-30; DC Official Code 8-1801 et seq.)(2001) which authorized the Mayor to create fenced-in, off-leash dog parks.

DPR worked with the public and other District agencies to create rules for dog parks. District agencies involved with creating the rules were the DC Department of Environment (DDOE), DC Department of Health (DOH), Department of Public Works (DPW), Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Office of the Clean City, Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), and the DC Water and Sewer Authority (DCWASA).

In December 2007, final dog park legislative rules* were issued.

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