CanadaProudly Canadian owned and operated
PawTrace
Get started

City guide · Calgary, Alberta

Dogs in Calgary: licence, off-leash areas, vets and dog services

What the City of Calgary requires of dog owners, how its 160 off-leash areas work, and where to find a vet, a groomer or a daycare.

The short answer

Dogs need a City licence by 3 months of age: $45 a year if spayed or neutered, $71 if not. Keep your dog leashed in public unless a sign says the area is off-leash. A household can keep up to 6 dogs. Walking more than 6 dogs off-leash at once needs a professional dog walker permit.

Licensing your dog

Calgary’s Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw 47M2021 replaced the old bylaw 23M2006. Every dog needs a licence by 3 months of age.

Licence (2026)Fee per year
Spayed or neutered$45
Not spayed or neutered$71
Not spayed or neutered, under 6 months when bought$45
Nuisance animal$125
Vicious animal$315
Qualified service dogNo fee (licence still required)
Replacement tag$6

Buy online at pets.calgary.ca with a myID account, by phone through 311, or in person at the Animal Services Centre. Two-year licences are available at double the yearly fee. The City’s Fair Entry discount applies to cat licences, not dog licences.

Leash and off-leash rules

  • Dogs must be on a leash in every public space unless a sign says the area is off-leash. If the sign and the City’s list disagree, the sign wins.
  • On pathways, the leash can be no longer than 2 m.
  • The City has 160 off-leash areas. Your dog must answer your voice, sound or sight commands there. Parking lots are on-leash, and dogs must stay 5 m from no-dog areas.
  • Dogs are not allowed on school grounds, playgrounds, sports fields, golf courses, cemeteries or in wading and swimming areas.
  • Carry bags and pick up after your dog.

Find areas on the City’s off-leash locations list or at maps.calgary.ca.

How many dogs and dog walkers

  • A person or household can keep up to 6 dogs and 6 cats over 3 months old. More needs an excess pet permit; the City says breeders and foster homes are accommodated.
  • Anyone with more than 6 dogs off-leash at once needs a Professional Dogwalker Permit.

Alberta rules that apply to buyers

  • The Animal Protection Act makes it an offence to cause an animal distress, and requires owners to relieve it.
  • Alberta passed changes to the Animal Protection Act in 2026 (Bill 22, S.A. 2026, c. 6), with Royal Assent on May 14 2026. They take effect on a date the province sets by proclamation; until then, the current Act applies.

Before you pay a breeder anything

  • Meet the puppy and its mother where the puppy was raised. A breeder who only meets in a parking lot is a warning sign.
  • Ask for the vet records: vaccines given, deworming, and the clinic that did them. Then call that clinic to confirm.
  • Ask which health tests the parents had for their breed, and for the result documents, not a description of them.
  • Get the sale agreement in writing before any deposit, and read what it says about refunds and health problems.
  • Search the breeder’s name and phone number. Scam sites reuse photos and phone numbers across many names.

You can look up any breeder name on PawTrace Verify and read how to avoid puppy scams in Canada. Breeders in the list below were compiled from public sources. An unclaimed listing has not been checked by PawTrace.

Emergency vets in Calgary

These clinics are listed on PawTrace as emergency hospitals. Hours and services change, so call before you go.

Not sure if it is an emergency? Read when to go to a 24-hour emergency hospital and what it costs.

Adoption and reporting a problem

  • Calgary Animal Services Centre: 2201 Portland St. S.E. Monday to Friday 10 am to 6 pm, Saturday 10 am to 4 pm. Adoptions by appointment. Call 311 (403-268-2489 from outside Calgary).
  • Calgary Humane Society takes cruelty and neglect reports at 403-205-4455. calgaryhumane.ca
  • Report a bylaw problem through 311, the 311 app or the online form. The City does not accept anonymous complaints.

Vet clinics, dog services and breeders in Calgary

Search all listings on Find a vet, Dog services and the Breeder directory.

Vet clinics in Calgary (35)

Dog services in Calgary (72)

See all in the directory →

Breeders in Calgary (5)

Listings are compiled from public sources unless a business has claimed them. Unclaimed listings have not been checked by PawTrace.

Run one of these businesses? Claim your listing free to correct it and add your hours: for vet clinics or for dog services.

Sources

Checked October 12 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice. Fees and by-laws change; the City’s own page is the final word.

PawTrace reports verified data points it has checked. It does not guarantee a breeder, a dog, or an outcome. How we verify →