[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/leash-laws-virginia\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/leash-laws-virginia\/","headline":"What Are the Leash Laws in Virginia?","name":"What Are the Leash Laws in Virginia?","description":"While Virginia doesn\u2019t have a statewide leash law, some local governments have laws requiring dogs to be on leashes. If a dog owner breaks the law and their unleashed dog attacks someone in one of these cities, they could be held accountable for the harm their pet causes.\u00a0 Even though many dogs are friendly, the […]","datePublished":"2022-05-26","dateModified":"2026-06-24","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/author\/lee_bujakowski\/#Person","name":"Lee J. Bujakowski","url":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/author\/lee_bujakowski\/","identifier":14,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/32d306dfc4db908e985e4fd95a0b173c596037999536f596a6865095e06e39de?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/32d306dfc4db908e985e4fd95a0b173c596037999536f596a6865095e06e39de?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Marks & Harrison","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/logo.png","width":235,"height":87}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/dog-bite.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/dog-bite.jpg","height":200,"width":300},"url":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/leash-laws-virginia\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XSbhDKhqa4o#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XSbhDKhqa4o","name":"Virginia Personal Injury Attorneys","description":"Marks & Harrison was founded in 1911 by David A. Harrison, Jr. It has continued its practice uninterrupted since that time. For over three generations our attorneys have represented the families of Virginia.\n\nMarks & Harrison limits its practice to personal injury, workers\u2019 compensation, and social security disability matters. The firm has represented thousands of injured victims in all types of claims.\n\n\nhttp:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/\n\nFollow us on Facebook: \nhttps:\/\/www.facebook.com\/marksandharrison\nFollow us on Twitter: \nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/mandhlaw\n\nContact us at http:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/contact-us\/","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/XSbhDKhqa4o\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/XSbhDKhqa4o\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/XSbhDKhqa4o\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/XSbhDKhqa4o\/sddefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/XSbhDKhqa4o\/maxresdefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2017-04-05T13:26:18+00:00","duration":"PT2M54S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XSbhDKhqa4o","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCRi1kc4BH8gI0V9M56V6WJw#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCRi1kc4BH8gI0V9M56V6WJw","name":"Marks & Harrison","description":"Marks & Harrison is one of the most recognized personal injury law firms in Virginia. Marks & Harrison provides comprehensive legal services to individuals who are victims of personal injury. The firm\u2019s 30 attorneys, along with a staff of more than 100, are based in 14 offices; the main office is in Richmond, regional offices are located around the Commonwealth, from DC, to Harrisonburg, to Tappahannock. Marks & Harrison has received numerous awards and recognition for its work on behalf of its clients. \n\nTo learn more about the firm and its attorneys, please visit: https:\/\/linktr.ee\/marksandharrison\nContact us at: http:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/contact-us","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/kg23-I7HYD-AR7DjeizOcvSEfNS6zJQTmbsLdBU0DAK1x7zxbnho3k6RvWQnx5X8BF41bq5w-w=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XSbhDKhqa4o#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XSbhDKhqa4o#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XSbhDKhqa4o&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XSbhDKhqa4o#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":985087}],{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XSbhDKhqa4o#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_LikeAction","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":51}]},"about":["Personal Injury"],"wordCount":753,"articleBody":"While Virginia doesn\u2019t have a statewide leash law, some local governments have laws requiring dogs to be on leashes. If a dog owner breaks the law and their unleashed dog attacks someone in one of these cities, they could be held accountable for the harm their pet causes.\u00a0Even though many dogs are friendly, the Virginia dog bite lawyers at Marks & Harrison recognize they could still cause severe injuries if they attack someone. With 26 lawyers on our team and more than 100 years in business, we\u2019re ready to defend your rights if an aggressive dog has bitten you. Contact us today for a free consultation.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat Are Some Local Virginia Leash Laws?There are several notable examples of local leash laws. In Richmond, the city\u2019s leash law requires all dogs to be kept \u201cunder restraint or confined to an enclosure.\u201d This law applies to all dogs, not just certain breeds or dogs that have been dangerous.Charlottesville is another Virginia city that has a local leash law in place. Under Charlottesville City Code, all dogs are banned from running \u201cat large\u201d within city limits. \u201cAt large\u201d generally means without a leash outside of an enclosure. A dog is not considered at large if it is off-leash but is within \u201cimmediate voice control\u201d of its owner, though. Leashes are required for all dogs within certain areas, including the following:All city parks, except for designated off-leash areasThe city\u2019s Greenway Trail SystemMeadow Creek Golf CourseDowntown Pedestrian MallPublic school propertyCity-owned cemeteriesWhat Happens if a Dog Is Not on a Leash and Attacks Someone?If an unleashed dog attacks you, you could hold the owner accountable for any injuries you suffer through a personal injury claim. The dog\u2019s owner might be considered negligent if they were not following local leash laws. You could be eligible to recover significant compensation for your injuries and other losses.\u00a0You might still be able to hold the dog\u2019s owner accountable even if a dog attacked you in an area without a local leash law. However, filing a lawsuit after being bitten in an area without a leash law generally means working around Virginia\u2019s \u201cone-bite rule.\u201dWhat Is the One-Bite Rule?The one-bite rule means that a dog must have previously attacked someone or another animal for you to seek compensation against the dog\u2019s owner for injuries suffered in an attack.\u00a0Virginia law does not have a strict liability rule for dog bites, meaning you cannot automatically hold a dog\u2019s owner liable just because their dog bit you. However, the owner could be found negligent if you can show the dog\u2019s owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous.Contact an Experienced Dog Bite Lawyer in Virginia TodayDog bites pose a serious problem in Virginia and across the country. The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that each year, dogs bite or attack an estimated 4.5 million people in the U.S., with roughly one out of every five of those victims requiring medical attention. In many cases, the dogs who commit these attacks are unleashed and roaming through neighborhoods and parks.Virginia has no statewide \u201cleash law\u201d that seeks to protect people from getting bitten or attacked by unrestrained and uncontrolled dogs. However, many municipalities in the state have enacted leash laws that address this issue. The specific duties that each law imposes on dog owners slightly vary from community to community.Dog owners in Virginia have an obligation to know the leash laws that apply to them and their pets. More importantly, they have a duty to abide by those laws. Suppose a dog owner violates a local leash law, and another person suffers harm due to that violation. In that case, the dog owner could potentially be held liable for a personal injury or wrongful death claim.As a law firm that represents dog bite victims and their families in Richmond and throughout Virginia, we thought it would be helpful to explain how dog leash laws work in our state. Here, we also discuss your legal rights and options if you suffer harm due to a dog owner\u2019s violation of a local leash law.Regardless of whether you were in an area with a local leash law, you deserve a chance to recover compensation for your injuries and losses after a dog attack in Virginia. Contact Marks & Harrison today for a free consultation with an experienced Virginia dog bite lawyer."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Are the Leash Laws in Virginia?","item":"https:\/\/www.marksandharrison.com\/blog\/leash-laws-virginia\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]