Dog Walkers in London, Ontario — Rates, Bylaws & Trusted Local Walkers

How to hire a dog walker in London, Ontario

Treat the meet-and-greet like an interview. Ask to see proof of insurance and any pet first-aid certification, ask for two client references you can actually call, and confirm how keys are handled (a written key agreement is the professional standard). Watch how the walker greets your dog — a good one gets low and lets the dog approach. Agree in writing on the exact service, rate, cancellation policy, and the emergency plan (which vet, who they call).

London's leash law — the strictest in Canada

London's rules come from the Dog Licensing and Control By-law PH-4.

The 1.8-metre rule — and what it means

A dog is deemed to be running at large unless it is under the physical control of a person by means of a leash no greater than 1.8 metres, held by that person. The consequences are significant:

• ❌ Retractable / extendable leashes exceed 1.8 m when extended — they don't meet the by-law
• ❌ Long lines (common in training and reactivity work) — don't meet the by-law in public
• ❌ Off-leash walking anywhere but a designated off-leash area

A retractable leash is standard kit in most cities; in London it likely puts you offside, and training work of this kind needs to happen on private property. This reading is based on the plain text of By-law PH-4 and a local trainer's public analysis, not a legal ruling — it is not legal advice; read PH-4 yourself. The one exception: it is not running at large if the landowner consents and the dog is prevented from leaving by a fence or tether.

Fines & licensing

The fine is $125, increased on second and third offences. Dogs must be licensed with the City; enforcement is real — bylaw officers run licence blitzes in parks and go door-to-door. Animal control is contracted to the London Animal Care Centre (519-685-1330), which deals with roughly one dog-bite incident almost every day.

Off-leash parks — 5 across the city (By-law PH-7)

• No one in an off-leash area between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
• No sporting activity except walking inside an off-leash area
• No glass, china, ceramic or other breakable items — they can cut a dog's paws
• Only dogs you own may be off-leash there

After a bite, waste & impound

A dog under a muzzle/leash order must be kept leashed and under physical control at all times off the owner's property — including inside designated off-leash parks. Excrement must be removed forthwith anywhere in the City, and a leashed dog may not enter another person's private property without consent. An impounded dog may be redeemed within 72 hours (excluding the day of impoundment, holidays, and pound closures).

Snowbelt winters & the Thames

• ❄️ Lake-effect snow. London sits in the snowbelt between Lakes Huron and Erie and can get buried fast — sidewalks vanish; a walker who still shows up safely earns their rate.
• 🧊 Freeze-thaw ice is the real injury risk for dogs and walkers alike; traction cleats are professional kit.
• 🧂 Road salt. Rinse and dry paws every winter walk.
• 🌳 The Thames Valley Parkway is London's gift — a long, mostly flat multi-use path along the river; excellent walking, but the 1.8 m leash rule applies there too.
• ☀️ Humid summers. Hot pavement burns (seven-second test); shade along the river.
• 🌊 The Thames. Watch water levels and current after heavy rain; banks can be unstable.

The question to ask a London walker: do you use a retractable leash? If they say yes, they may not know the by-law.

Ontario state dog laws

Ontario's Dog Owners' Liability Act imposes STRICT liability for a dog bite or attack — no need to prove the dog was known to be dangerous or that anyone was careless — and the Act defines 'owner' to include a person who possesses or harbours the dog, so a walker in possession can be caught.

These state-level rules apply across Ontario; the local rules that govern day-to-day walking are on the Local bylaws tab.

Strict liability for bites and attacks (DOLA §2, and who counts as 'owner')

Under the Dog Owners' Liability Act (DOLA), R.S.O. 1990, c. D.16, section 2, the owner of a dog is liable for damages resulting from a bite or attack by the dog on a person or a domestic animal. This is strict liability: it does not depend on knowledge that the dog was dangerous, nor on any fault or negligence. The injured person does not have to prove the dog had bitten before. Critically, §1 defines 'owner' to include a person who possesses or harbours the dog — so a walker or sitter who has the dog in their possession can be treated as an owner and pursued directly. A common-law negligence claim for careless handling can also run alongside the statutory claim.

Banned and restricted pit bulls (2005 amendment; O. Reg. 157/05)

The Public Safety Related to Dogs Statute Law Amendment Act, 2005 amended DOLA to ban pit bulls in Ontario. New pit bulls are prohibited; dogs already owned when the ban took effect (and pups born within a short window after) were grandfathered as 'restricted' pit bulls. A restricted pit bull — including a Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier or American pit bull terrier — must at all times be muzzled and on a leash in public (the muzzle/leash rule does not apply inside the owner's own enclosed property). Breeding and transfer are tightly restricted. A walker should confirm whether any pit-bull-type dog in their care is a lawful restricted dog and handle it strictly to the muzzle-and-leash conditions under O. Reg. 157/05 (Pit Bull Controls).

Leashing, licensing, poop-and-scoop and municipal bylaws

Day-to-day control is set by municipal animal-control bylaws, which vary by city. In Toronto, for example, Municipal Code Chapter 349 (Animals) requires dogs to be leashed in public (leash no more than 2 m) except in a designated off-leash area where the dog must still be under control; requires every dog to be licensed and wear a tag; and requires owners to pick up excrement. Fines apply — commonly around $240 for failing to licence and up to $500 for a dog off-leash outside a permitted area. Chapter 349 also lets the City issue a Dangerous Dog Order (§349-15) with conditions the handler must follow. Because these rules differ between municipalities, a walker must check each area's bylaw.

Identification and microchipping

Ontario has no province-wide dog licence or microchip statute; identification is handled by municipal bylaws. Most cities (Toronto among them) require a current licence and visible tag, and a licence tied to up-to-date contact details is how a lost dog is reunited quickly. Many restricted pit bulls and municipally designated dangerous dogs carry extra identification, sterilization or microchip conditions. A walker should confirm each dog's licence and tag are current and that any dangerous-dog or restricted-dog conditions are met before taking it out.

Dog walking in London, Ontario — questions people ask