The present invention provides compositions and methods for eliciting protctive immunity in animals against Leptospira Interrogans (LI) serovar copenhageni. The invention is based, in part, on the unexpected cross-protection against heterologous LI serovar, which resulted when canines were administered an effective amount of a vaccine containing Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae, Leptospira grippotyphosa, L canicola and L Pomona, then subsequently challenged with virulent L copenhageni (Fioruz L1-130).