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Peabody

Dogtown for Peabody, MA dog owners: daycare, boarding, grooming and training

Peabody's ordinances keep dogs out of the city's parks, playgrounds and recreation areas with one named exception, the Independence Greenway, and require a leash of six feet or less everywhere off your own property. Here is what that means for a Peabody dog, the city's licensing dates, the drive up Route 128, and how Dogtown fits around all of it.

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Black and white dog with ears flying, up close on the turf

Last reviewed October 9, 2026 · by the Dogtown team

Getting to Eastern Ave
Route 128 north past the I-95 split to its end in Gloucester, then Eastern Avenue: about 35 minutes outside rush hour, by our estimate
The Pup Van
Outside the Pup Van towns; ask us about pick-up
Dog licensing
City Clerk, City Hall, 24 Lowell Street: $15 spayed or neutered, $25 otherwise; due on or before March 31, with a rabies certificate (peabody-ma.gov)
The beach rule
City ordinance: no dogs in public parks, playgrounds or recreation areas except the Independence Greenway; park hours 8 AM to 9 PM April 1 to October 1 and 8 AM to 7 PM October 1 to March 31 (Peabody Code 21-1, 21-2)
A trail we know
Peabody Independence Greenway: the one park area the ordinance opens to dogs, on a leash of six feet or less (Peabody Code 6-11, 21-1)
Dogtown dogs from here
Ask us about Dogtown dogs from Peabody
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Peabody dog rules

In Peabody's parks, the Independence Greenway is the one place the ordinance names for dogs

Peabody's park ordinance lists what may not be done in any public park, playground or recreation area in the city, and one item is letting a dog enter, with a single exception written in: the Peabody Independence Greenway. The same chapter sets park hours of 8 AM to 9 PM from April 1 to October 1 and 8 AM to 7 PM from October 1 to March 31, while Brooksby Farm keeps its own posted hours.

Brooksby Farm, the city-owned farm on Felton Street, states plainly that no pets are allowed on the farm. Peabody Recreation, Parks and Forestry does list a Peabody Dog Park on Perkins Street among its facilities, so the city has a dedicated dog space; ask the department for its current rules before you go. Everywhere else the leash ordinance applies: off the owner's or keeper's premises, a dog stays on a leash no longer than six feet.

Fines climb with repeat offenses. The animal ordinance sets $50 for a first violation within a year and $100 for the second and any after it, and owners must pick up after their dogs on sidewalks, streets, parks and other people's property. For a young dog with energy to burn, a short leash and few open parks make a strong case for a day of off-leash play in a supervised, matched group.

  • No dogs in city parks, playgrounds or recreation areas, except the Independence Greenway
  • A leash of six feet or less off your own premises
  • Fines: $50 for a first offense in a year, $100 after that
  • Brooksby Farm: no pets on the farm

The Greenway

Walking the Independence Greenway with a Peabody dog

The Independence Greenway is Peabody's bike path, listed by the city's recreation department in two parts: Lahey Clinic to Peabody Road, and Ross Park to the Middleton line. When we checked in October 2026, the city's facility page showed the stretch from Ross Park to the Johnson Street bridge closed for utility repairs, so look at that page before planning a long walk. To the north, the Danvers Rail Trail begins at the Peabody line and runs toward Wenham.

On the Greenway the six-foot leash and the pick-up rule both apply, and cyclists share the path. That makes it a good place to practice loose-leash walking and calm passing, both of which our trainers teach with positive reinforcement. Calm & Connected works on impulse control and minor leash reactivity for adolescents, rescues and adult dogs, programs are quoted after a short assessment, and training sessions start from $94.

Licensing

Peabody licenses are due by March 31, at $15 or $25

The City Clerk at City Hall, 24 Lowell Street, licenses every Peabody dog six months or older, and the city's application says the license is due on or before March 31 each year. At the time of writing the fee is $15 for a spayed or neutered dog and $25 for one that is not. The clerk asks for proof of a current rabies vaccination, noting that the rabies tag alone is not enough, and for proof of spay or neuter to get the lower fee.

You can license in person at the clerk's office, by mail with payment, or online through the city's payment center or the GoPetie app, which may add a card fee. The ordinance also provides for a late fee, set by the city, on a dog not licensed by June 1. Bring the current Peabody license to your Dogtown evaluation with the Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella records, because both are checked before a dog joins a group.

  • Due on or before March 31 each year
  • $15 spayed or neutered, $25 otherwise, at the time of writing
  • A rabies certificate is required; the tag alone is not accepted
  • A late fee applies to dogs not licensed by June 1

The drive

About 35 minutes up Route 128, so plan on full days and overnight stays

From Peabody, follow Route 128 north. I-95 peels away toward New Hampshire inside the city, and 128 carries on toward Beverly and Cape Ann until it ends in Gloucester; Eastern Avenue and our door at number 210 are a couple of minutes from the end. That is about 35 minutes outside rush hour, by our estimate, and noticeably more in the evening commute.

Peabody is outside the four Pup Van towns, so ask us about pick-up. Otherwise the distance argues for full days: $42 each, or $380 for a 10-pack, rather than a $33 half day that means two round trips. The unlimited membership, $700 a month, covers daycare Monday to Saturday, two enrichment sessions a month and 15 percent off grooming for the dog that comes most days.

Overnight stays suit the distance even better. A suite is $78 a night, the dog spends the days in a playgroup and is monitored around the clock, and the Classic or Deluxe bundle adds $10 or $15 a night. On Sundays the building opens only for overnight guests, from 8 to 10 AM and from 4 to 6 PM, which lets a Peabody family drop off on the way out of town for a weekend.

Getting started

From Peabody to a first playgroup, step by step

Every new dog starts with the free evaluation, held on weekdays between 6:30 and 9:30 AM by appointment: a temperament test, then a few supervised hours in a group so our team can place the dog in the right playgroup. Send the new customer form first, and enter FIRST15 when you book the first daycare visit for 15 percent off.

Grooming skips all of that. A Peabody dog can book a bath, priced by size from $55 to $95, or a full groom from $75 to $120, online or in the Dogtown app, and come straight in. Add-ons include a $16 nail trim and de-matting at $15 per 20 minutes, and Peabody cats have a quiet studio of their own, away from the dog floors.

  1. 01

    Fill in the new customer form with your Peabody address

  2. 02

    Renew the Peabody license if it ran out on March 31

  3. 03

    Book the free evaluation for a weekday between 6:30 and 9:30 AM

  4. 04

    Bring the Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella records up Route 128

  5. 05

    Book full days or a suite in the app, and ask us about pick-up if you need it

At Dogtown

What Peabody dogs make the drive for

Full daycare days, overnight suites, grooming with no evaluation and Academy days with a trainer.

Husky standing on the turf play yard at Dogtown, looking at the camera Dog DaycareFrom $33 · Explore Golden retriever resting on a cozy bed in a Dogtown boarding suite Overnight StaysFrom $78 · Explore Groomer blow-drying a red goldendoodle in front of the Dogtown Grooming sign Dog GroomingFrom $55 · Explore Dogtown trainer playing with a small doodle on the outdoor turf Dogtown AcademyNewFrom $69 · Explore

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Asked and answered

Questions people ask about this

Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.

How long does it take to get from Peabody to Dogtown?
About 35 minutes outside rush hour, by our estimate: Route 128 north past the I-95 split, on to the end of the highway in Gloucester, then Eastern Avenue. Evening traffic on 128 can add a good deal, so choose a pick-up time in the 4 to 6:30 PM window that misses the worst of it.
Will the Pup Van come to Peabody?
Peabody is outside the Pup Van towns, so ask us about pick-up rather than assuming either way. The $10 each-way price is for Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea. The front desk can tell you whether the route reaches your Peabody street on the days you need, and what it would cost.
Can my dog go in Peabody parks?
Not most of them. At the time of writing, Peabody's park ordinance does not allow dogs in public parks, playgrounds or recreation areas and names the Independence Greenway as the exception, and Brooksby Farm allows no pets. The city lists a dog park on Perkins Street; ask Peabody Recreation, Parks and Forestry for its current rules.
Do you need my Peabody license and rabies certificate?
Yes. We check a current Peabody license and the Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella records at the free evaluation. Peabody itself asks for a rabies certificate rather than just the tag when you license, so you will already have the paperwork; the city's licenses are due on or before March 31 each year.
Can I bring my Peabody cat for grooming?
Yes, and no evaluation is needed. The cat studio is quiet and away from the dogs, and the menu runs from Minimal Trims at $45 and a Full Bath at $95 to Full Service at $120, with nail clipping alone at $20. Our cat behavior specialists assess each cat first and refer one that cannot be groomed safely to a vet.

More questions? Read the full FAQ

Sources

Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.

Keep reading

Dogtown for Danvers dog ownersNorth Shore dog parksDog daycare in GloucesterAll Dogtown service areas Service areas All guides

Next step

Peabody dogs, full days in Gloucester.

Send the new customer form, book a free weekday-morning evaluation, and ask us about pick-up from your Peabody street.

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  3. 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
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