Dog licence and leash rules in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge

Rules last checked October 2026. Licence fees, fines and park hours change, so this page links each City's own page and does not repeat amounts. Treat the City's page as the final word.

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At a glance

Kitchener

Licence. Dogs must be licensed every year under the City's bylaw. Licences are sold by the Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo and Stratford Perth, and the City's page lists the current fees by category. See the City's licensing page.

Leash. The City says dogs are welcome at any of its parks and trails but should always remain on leash unless they are in a designated off-leash area.

Off-leash parks. The City lists five: George Lippert Park, Idlewood Park, Kiwanis Park, McLennan Park and The Aud neighbourhood dog park. The City's page is inconsistent about whether the number is four or five, so check kitchener.ca/dogparks for the current list. The park rules on that page include these:

• A responsible person at least 16 years old must accompany each dog.
• An owner can bring no more than two dogs at one time.
• Dogs need a municipal licence and current rabies vaccination, with tags worn.
• Dogs in heat, puppies under 12 weeks old and sick dogs are not allowed.
• Children under six are not allowed in the off-leash area, and an adult must supervise children from six to 15.
• Kiwanis Park and George Lippert Park have no maintained winter parking lots.

Waterloo

Licence. All dogs over 12 weeks old living in Waterloo must be licensed every year. Since 2023 a licence runs for 12 months from the day you register and not for the calendar year. Licences are bought through DocuPet, and each one includes a tag with a licence number and a lost-pet reporting service. The City says an unlicensed dog may be fined, and gives no amount. See waterloo.ca/doglicence.

Off-leash parks. The City has two permanent leash-free parks, Bechtel Park on the east side and 265 Copper Street on the west side. The Copper Street park opened in October 2025. It is one large fully fenced area of about 7,000 square metres, with seating, a waste unit and limited parking, and is open from sunrise to sunset. A temporary fenced leash-free area in Waterloo Park West, near the Westmount Road entrance, opened in September 2025 and stays until a permanent core-area park is built. The City expects to consider funding for that permanent park in its 2027 capital budget.

Trails and Laurel Creek. The City asks owners to keep dogs on leash on any trail and notes that popular trails such as Hydrocut and those in Laurel Creek Conservation Area are not maintained by the City. Laurel Creek is run by the Grand River Conservation Authority, which allows dogs on a leash no longer than two metres, on marked trails only, and not on the beach or swimming area. The Authority fines off-leash dogs, and we found no off-leash area there. See the Authority's Laurel Creek page.

Cambridge

Licence. The City of Cambridge requires a dog licence every year. Register before 1 January or within 30 days of getting a dog. Proof of a rabies vaccine given within the past two years is required. Animal services are provided by the Cambridge and District Humane Society under contract. See the City's Animal Services page for fees.

Leash and off-leash. Dogs must be on a leash when off your property. We did not find a City-run off-leash park in Cambridge, so check the City's page before you plan a trip around one. Groomango does not serve Cambridge yet, and this section is information only. Our Cambridge page explains how that area opens.

What we check at your first visit

The same rabies vaccination that Kitchener asks for at its off-leash parks is what we need on file before a first groom. We ask for a current rabies certificate in the booking flow, and our vaccination policy and how it works pages explain the step. If you are in Kitchener or Waterloo, see whether the van comes to your street on the Kitchener or Waterloo pages.

After the walk: ticks and coats

Region of Waterloo Public Health says to take precautions in wooded or bushy areas and tall grass, even if they are not marked high risk on its map, and to check pets that spend time outdoors, because ticks can ride a pet indoors. If you find one on your dog, speak to your vet. Public Health does not accept ticks for testing. Burrs, mud and a wet coat are the groomer's side of the same walk. Thick-coated dogs are covered in our double-coat guide, and curly-coated dogs in our doodle guide.