A dog in Jyväskylä
According to the Public Order Act, a dog must be kept on a leash when you are walking with it in an urban area.
Walking with dogs
Furry friends are nice, but the Public Order Act says they should be kept on a leash at all times in urban areas. Dogs may only be kept unleashed in urban areas
- in dog parks
- dog training areas
- in fenced yards
Even in fenced yards, dogs must be under the control of their owner or keeper and it is also essential to ensure that they cannot escape from the yard.
According to the Hunting Act, during the period from 1 March to 19 August when dogs are tethered, they must be kept leashed or in such a way that they can be tethered immediately when out in the wild. The tethering period ensures peace for wild animals during their breeding season.
In nature reserves and on nature trails and similar nature trekking areas maintained by the City of Jyväskylä, such as wood tracks and bird-towers, dogs must be kept on a leash all year round. Unleashed dogs are particularly disruptive to bird nesting.
The city distributes free dog poo stickers to properties to stick in the trash cans
Properties that allow dog poop bags in their garbage can can pick up a free sticker to put in their garbage can. The stickers will tell dog walkers that it is OK to put a dog poo bag in a private bin.
The stickers can be collected free of charge from the City Structure Advice Centre at Rakentajantalo (Hannikaisenkatu 17) or from the Jyväskylä point at the Forum shopping centre (Asemakatu 7). Stickers are also given out by some pet supply stores.
City-owned bins can be found on the Jyväskylä map service at kartta.jkl.fi. Dog poo bags can be placed in all litter bins in public areas.
Dog's waste should be collected all year round
It is important to remember that it is the dog owner's responsibility to collect their dog's waste all year round. Winter is no exception, as droppings left on the snow in the winter will freeze and stay in the snow like a freshly baked bun in freezing temperatures, dripping back onto the street in the spring with the melting snow.
The harmful Spanish chickweed, which spreads in Jyväskylä, also eats dog waste and can spread diseases to pets. By collecting your dog's droppings, you are not feeding this garden pest.