After PETA warned D.C. dog owners yesterday that leaving their canine companions unattended outside—even if during a short errand—is a terrible idea, we checked on what the legal status of an unaccompanied dog is. No surprise here—it’s illegal to leave your dog alone in public. According to the Department of Health, an unattended dog can be impounded by animal control officers. The law reads:

No person owning, keeping, or having custody of a dog in the District shall permit the dog to be on any public space in the District, other than a dog park established by section 9a of the Animal Control Act of 1979, passed on 2nd reading on September 20, 2005 (Enrolled version of Bill 16-28), unless the dog is firmly secured by a substantial leash. The leash shall be held by a person capable of managing the dog.

Additionally, legislation is being drafted that would give animal control officers the authority to issue fines to owners who violate provisions of the animal control act. Current law already allows a $300 fine for violation of the law above, but it doesn’t state who has the authority to write tickets. An email to the Department of Health wasn’t returned.

So now you know. Not only is it a bad idea to leave your dog alone outside, it’s also against the law.