Homeowner’s Guide to Owning a Dog in New Orleans

Here’s our guide to dog-related ordinances, plus the off-leash dog runs and parks, doggy spas and boutiques, and best places across the city to have a drink while your dog lounges at your feet.

With a growing number of doggy daycares, spas, dog runs, and everything else an urban dog might need, New Orleans deserves its reputation as a dog-friendly city. Many area restaurants and bars — especially those with patios, courtyards, balconies, and sidewalk seating — also welcome dogs, so there’s no reason to leave your four-legged friend behind when you go out. Here’s a (partial) list of places across New Orleans where you and dog will be welcome.

Parks and Dog Runs

NOLA City Bark, the largest off-leash dog run in New Orleans, is located in the City Park. This fenced-off and gated 4.6-acre plot of land has separate play areas for small and big dogs. It’s also equipped with water fountains for both dogs and humans, plus water play areas and doggie pools. For humans, there are shade pavilions, restrooms, and walking paths.

To ensure that all dogs that use the park have been properly vaccinated, and spayed or neutered, a permit is required for access. Annual permits are $48 for one dog and $53 for two or three dogs. You can also get a temporary permit for $10 for one week or $15 for two weeks.

The next two off-leash options are smaller than City Bark, but they’re still popular because of their location, and simply because off-leash spots aren’t that easy to find in any city. The Wisner Dog Run is a fenced-off, 8,500 square-foot park inside the city-run Wisner Playground at 4876 Laurel Street in Uptown. You’ll find some benches, limited shade, and water fountains there. Crescent Park Dog Run is located in the eastern portion of the 1.4-mile, 20-acre Crescent Park in the Bywater.

An excellent, laid-back option near NOLA City Bark and the City Park is the picturesque Bayou St. John in Mid-City. You can walk there from the park, and then stroll along the grassy banks of this ancient waterway and bird-watch and take in the live oaks; you may also spot the occasional turtle or school of fish. Some owners let their dogs take a quick dip in the bayou, but caution is advised due to the water quality and alligators.

If your dog loves to swim and is not a flight risk when off-leash d, the “Dog Levee” near the corner of Leake Avenue and Magazine Street (100-7198 Magazine Street) has a paved walking path.

The historic Audubon Park is an urban oasis with a 1.8-mile jogging path you can enjoy with your dog, plus many picnic shelters, walking paths, lagoons, and more. The area behind the Audubon Zoo and along the Mississippi River is known as The Fly. It s a popular spot to have a barbeque, toss a Frisbee, or simply sit by the river. The Fly is open till 9 p.m., and is equipped with picnic areas, ample parking spaces, and public restrooms.

Finally, the Lafitte Greenway, a 2.6-mile trail and green corridor, is a convenient way to walk or bike from the City Park and the Bayou St. John neighborhood to Treme’s Armstrong Park and the French Quarter.

Dog-Friendly Bars and Dining

There are plenty of dog-friendly restaurants and bars all over New Orleans. Well-behaved dogs are welcome to many patios, courtyards, and sidewalk tables, but several establishments stand out as especially suited to visiting canines. Such places actively welcome dogs and often put out fresh water for them.

Both of Dat Dog‘s Uptown locations (3336 Magazine Street near Louisiana Avenue and 5030 Freret Street near Soniat Street) have dog-friendly outdoor seating and popular happy hours with lots of craft beer and people-watching. The Bulldog Uptown, located on the corner of Magazine and Pleasant Streets in the heart of the Garden District, features a huge, dog-friendly patio. The St. James Cheese Company (the Uptown location at 5004 Prytania Street) and the Rusty Nail (1100 Constance Street, on the corner of Constance and John Churchill Chase, where the Warehouse District ends and the Lower Garden begins) patios both welcome dogs as well.

One of the popular Bywater standouts is the lush outdoor space at Flora Gallery & Coffee Shop. Envie Espresso Bar & Cafe, with two locations in the French Quarter (both on Decatur Street) welcomes dogs at the outdoor tables as well.

In Mid-City, which is dotted with outdoor spaces, the popular dog hangouts are CC’s Coffee House at 2800 Esplanade, and two wine bars — Pearl Wine Co., with a newly built patio, at the American Can Company building, and Swirl Wine Bar & Market on a bustling mini-strip across Esplanade by Cafe Degas and Alcee Fortier Park.

Doggy Daycares and Spas

Thanks to the proliferation of doggy daycares and luxurious spas in the last few years your furry friend will be in good hands no matter where you live in New Orleans. From acupuncture to swimming to extended stay, you have many options.

Belladoggie, for example, has rehab and fitness programs for dogs, not to mention a variety of grooming, boarding services and packages. Another favorite among the New Orleans residents is Camp Bow Wow, with a downtown location in the Irish Channel at 2731 Tchoupitoulas Street, and the recently opened one in Mid-City, at 3301 Conti Street. The NOLA Bark Market in Bywater triples as doggy daycare, grooming salon, and retail store, and features a small, onsite private dog park.

There are the major chains like Petcos and the PetSmarts in the area as well, but where do the local dogs shop for Barkus outfits and birthday cakes? The two French Quarter mainstays, Southern Paws and Chi-wa-wa Ga-ga boutiques, have your dog’s Mardi Gras needs and gourmet treats cravings covered.

Dog Etiquette and Ordinances

Just like in any city, there’s a general understanding that dog owners must pick up after their pets. Every parish in Louisiana has different animal laws. In New Orleans, the ordinance that protects against “soiling of public and private property by animals” requires “immediate cleanup and proper disposal of animal waste by the owner or keeper, or parent or guardian thereof.”

This doesn’t include dog parks and off-leash areas that are governed by their own rules, and violators could face a $100 fine and “three seven-hour days of trash cleanup duties.” And while there are occasionally heated debates on public forums whether it’s acceptable to dispose of your dog’s waste in other people’s trashcans as opposed to public bins only, neither is illegal as long as you pick up and dispose of somewhere.

Another ordinance that applies to Orleans parish but not, say, Jefferson or Plaquemines, requires all pets to be spayed or neutered. The owners must obtain an intact permit otherwise.

In 2013, the City Council approved many updates to the city’s pet-ownership laws written in the 1950s. The updates pertaining to dogs have included:

• Set minimum standards of care for pets during severe weather events
• LA/SPCA taking possession of dogs seized in connection with a charge of dog fighting and conditions under which these dogs are either placed in new homes or euthanized
• Reduction in the frequency at which dogs must be vaccinated (every three years from annually)
• New tethering requirements (neutered dogs only, able to move at least 30 feet, and no tethering unsupervised between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.)
• New definition of dogs considered “potentially dangerous”
• Conditions under which muzzles are allowed (only in owner’s presence or under vet’s care)

Other ordinances deal with the requirements of confinement, and where and how the dogs are allowed, such as:

• “All cats and dogs are to be confined within a secure, enclosed fence that is a minimum of four feet tall…”
• Licensed and vaccinated dogs are allowed to be outside on the leash (except designated off-leash areas) but not trespass on private property
• And “no dogs other than dogs in parades in which dogs are the main attraction or sole participants, dogs confined on the property of their owners, dogs assigned to law enforcement canine units, seeing-eye dogs and/or dogs assisting physically challenged individuals, are allowed within 200 yards of any parade route one hour before, during, or one hour after a scheduled parade”

The rules that limit the number of animals a person can have and those dealing with noise issues are handled by city zoning and code enforcement law, and are much murkier. They vary, and are sometimes dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Similarly, the landlords can set their own rules when it comes to animal-related noise issues and whether to allow pets on their rental property, including how many, what type, size, and breed.

So, when it comes to dealing with, say, your tenant’s or neighbor’s dog barking, most experts advise to find a peaceful resolution without resorting to the police or the courts. Your first step should involve contacting the dog’s owner(s) — as sometimes they might not even be aware there’s an issue — as well as mediation. Contacting law enforcement, animal control officials or pursuing legal action are last-resort options and must only be done after every other avenue has failed.

If you are looking for a rental property in New Orleans that allows dogs or need more information on the dog-friendly places where you’ll be living, please contact one of our experienced real estate agents.