Leash Law / Barking By-Law

Any person owning, keeping, or being responsible for a dog shall not allow nor permit said dog to run at large on any of the streets or public places in the Town of Dennis or upon any private property unless the owner or lawful occupant of such property grants permission therefore.

No dog shall be allowed or permitted in any public place or street within the Town unless it is effectively restrained and controlled by a chain or other form of leash that is sufficient to hold the dog, or unless it is under immediate and effective voice control of a handler, or unless it is within and confined to a motor vehicle.

Dogs picked up stray will be returned to their owner if possible, the odds being much higher if the dog is wearing a current Dennis dog license or is microchipped. Unidentified stray dogs are brought to the Animal Rescue League in Brewster and held until an owner claims the dog. The dog owner may reclaim their dog from the Animal Rescue League after licensing the dog in Dennis if the dog owner is a Dennis resident. Dog owners must pay a boarding fee to the Animal Rescue League for each day the animal is impounded. The Animal Rescue League can be reached at 508-255-1030 between 10 am and 4 pm. Monday through Saturday.

Dogs on Dennis Public Beaches

Residents and visitors to Cape Cod enjoy a barefoot sunset walk on the clean sandy beaches of Dennis. Unfortunately, some dog owners failed to control their dogs and complaints were "piling up" about dog owners not picking up after their pets, or allowing their dogs to jump on strangers and generally run out of control, with no respect for the comfort or well-being of others. Reported incidents of threatening behavior and aggression by dogs toward humans and other dogs were escalating.

In order to protect the cleanliness and enjoyability of one of the town's major assets, dogs will not be allowed on any Dennis Public Beaches or Parking Areas anytime effective from the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day of each year. Violation up to a $300 fine. Feel free to contact the Animal Control Department for a dog-friendly walking area during the summer months. The rest of the year dogs are welcome on the beaches as long as their owners respect the dog control bylaws in place for all public places in Dennis. It is required by the Town of Dennis Bylaw that owners pick up after their dogs and dispose of it properly even in the off-season.

Town of Dennis Nuisance Dog Barking By-Law

No person owning, keeping, or otherwise responsible for a dog shall allow or permit said dog to annoy another person's reasonable right to peace or privacy by making loud or continuous noise, where such noise is plainly audible at a distance of 150 feet from the building, premises, vehicle, or conveyance housing said dog or such noise is continuous in excess of 10 minutes. The fact that such noise is plainly audible at said distance or continuous in excess of 10 minutes shall be prima facie evidence of a violation:

  • 1st offense: warning
  • 2nd offense: $30 fine
  • 3rd offense: $50 fine
  • 4th offense: $100 fine