Short Pump Park has Henrico's western off-leash dog park. Everywhere else dogs must be leashed under county code; licenses are required from 4 months.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Sources: Henrico Recreation and Parks’ park tips and Short Pump Park page, the Henrico County Code Chapter 5, Animals, the county’s dog license page, Short Pump Town Center’s visit page and Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s dogs page.

Short Pump has one of Henrico County’s two off-leash dog parks, and its county parks and trails welcome leashed dogs from dawn to dusk. Short Pump has no town government, so the rules are Henrico County’s: dogs may not run at large anywhere in the county, and every dog 4 months or older needs a county license. Henrico Recreation and Parks is 804-501-7275.

Who to call

  • Henrico Recreation and Parks: 804-501-7275
  • Dog licenses (Cashier’s Office): 804-501-4678
  • Loose, injured or dead animals, after-hours animal calls: Henrico Police non-emergency, 804-501-5000
  • Henrico Police Animal Shelter (adoptions, by appointment): 804-727-8807

The leash law

Henrico County Code Section 5-29 makes it a Class 4 misdemeanor to let a dog run at large. A dog counts as running at large when it is off its owner’s property and not under the owner’s immediate control. Hunting dogs are the exception, and a dog inside a county-designated, fenced off-leash area is not running at large. Owners of dogs found running at large in a pack also face a civil penalty per dog, the code says.

In county parks, the park tips are simple: dogs are welcome but must be on a leash, except in the dog parks at Short Pump Park and Dorey Park. Pick up after your dog.

The dog park at Short Pump Park

Short Pump Park, 3329 Pump Road, is open daily from dawn to dusk. Its fenced dog park has:

  • Separate areas for small dogs and large dogs, surfaced with synthetic turf
  • Rules: handlers must be 16 or older and keep their dogs in sight; dogs must wear current license tags; dogs in heat, sick dogs and aggressive dogs are not allowed

The park also has a playground, athletic fields, picnic shelters and, in season, a spray park where pets are not allowed. Our parks and trails guide has more.

Each December the county holds Santa Paws at Short Pump Park, free photos with Santa for dogs; in 2026 it is Saturday, Dec. 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Leashed walks and trails

  • Tuckahoe Creek Park, at the end of Ridgefield Parkway: an accessible boardwalk through the creek’s wetlands. Pets must be leashed; bikes and swimming are not allowed.
  • Deep Run Park, 9900 Ridgefield Parkway: 3.4 miles of paved trails, with ponds, walkways and a gazebo.
  • Twin Hickory Park, 5011 Twin Hickory Road, Glen Allen: walking trails and open play areas.
  • Pouncey Tract Park, 4747 Pouncey Tract Road, Glen Allen: a nature trail, athletic fields and 24 pickleball courts.

All county parks close at dusk. Our walking and biking trails guide lists distances and parking.

Shopping and dining with your dog

Short Pump Town Center, 11800 W. Broad St., says on its visit page that pets are allowed, dogs only. Individual stores and restaurants set their own rules, so ask before you walk in or sit on a patio.

Lewis Ginter’s Fidos nights

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave. in Henrico, welcomes leashed dogs on select nights only:

  • Fidos After 5: the second and fourth Thursdays from June to mid-September, with the Richmond SPCA.
  • GardenFest for Fidos: select Monday nights of the holiday lights; in 2026, Nov. 23 and 30 and Dec. 7, 14 and 28.

The garden’s rules: dogs must be leashed (no retractable leashes), at least 4 months old and current on rabies, Bordetella and parvo vaccines; dogs over a year old must be spayed or neutered; no dogs in heat; owners clean up after their dogs.

Licenses and rabies shots

A Henrico County dog license is required for every dog 4 months or older, except service dogs, within 30 days of the dog turning 4 months old. You need a current rabies vaccination certificate. Tags are permanent and numbered; the license renews when the rabies vaccine does. Buy one at the Eastern or Western Government Center cashier’s offices, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. The Henrico Police Animal Protection Unit holds rabies clinics at the Western Government Center, 4301 E. Parham Road, where licenses are also sold; the fall 2026 clinic was Saturday, Oct. 17, and later dates go on the county calendar.

Adopting a dog

The Henrico Police Animal Shelter is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., by appointment only; call 804-727-8807. Adoptable animals are listed on Petfinder and Adoptapet, and the shelter holds Sunday adoption events listed on the county calendar.

Related guides: parks and trails, kids’ activities and free things to do.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a dog park in Short Pump?

Yes. Short Pump Park, 3329 Pump Road, has a fenced off-leash dog park with separate small-dog and large-dog areas. It and Dorey Park in eastern Henrico are the county’s two dog parks.

Do dogs have to be on a leash in Henrico County?

Yes. Henrico County Code Section 5-29 bans dogs, other than hunting dogs, from running at large anywhere in the county at any time of year, and county parks require leashes outside the fenced dog parks.

Do I need a dog license in Henrico County?

Yes. Every dog 4 months or older needs a Henrico County license, bought within 30 days of turning 4 months, with a current rabies certificate. Service dogs are exempt. Call 804-501-4678.

Are dogs allowed at Short Pump Town Center?

Yes. The town center says pets are allowed, dogs only.

Can I take my dog to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden?

Only on select nights: Fidos After 5 on the second and fourth Thursdays from June to mid-September, and GardenFest for Fidos on select holiday-lights Mondays. Dogs must be leashed, at least 4 months old and vaccinated.