---
title: Armstrong rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs
question: "What are the rules for aggressive or dangerous dogs?"
place: Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/armstrong
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Armstrong
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/dangerous-dogs/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/dangerous-dogs.json"
---

# Armstrong rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

**Question:** What are the rules for aggressive or dangerous dogs?

**Short answer:** The City of Armstrong's Dog Care and Control Bylaw lets the Chief Bylaw Officer designate a dog aggressive, vicious or dangerous by written notice. The notice may require a short leash, muzzle, secure enclosure and identification. Report an incident to City Hall at 250-546-3023.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Armstrong, https://www.cityofarmstrong.bc.ca)  
**Cost:** No separate licence fee for these dogs was found. Municipal tickets: failure to fulfil aggressive-dog requirements $200; vicious-dog requirements $500; dangerous-dog requirements $1,000; failure to control a dog (includes biting) $150 ($100 if paid within 30 days).  
**Where:**
- Phone: City Hall (Bylaw department), 250-546-3023
- Phone: North Okanagan RCMP (urgent matters), 250-546-3028
- Online: Bylaw complaint form, https://www.cityofarmstrong.bc.ca/departments/bylaw-enforcement/

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** The Chief Bylaw Officer decides, by written notice, whether a dog is aggressive, vicious or dangerous. Aggressive: over 6 months old and, without provocation, showed aggressive behaviour in public or caused a minor injury. Vicious: repeated or major injury, or likely to cause repeat injuries. Dangerous: as defined in s. 49 of the Community Charter.
  - Source: [Dog Care and Control Bylaw No. 1873, 2021, s. 5.2(a)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/138896)
  - Official wording: "by written notice, designate a dog as an aggressive dog, a vicious dog or a dangerous" … "dog, and impose on its owner and any harbourer such restrictions"
  - Source: [Dog Care and Control Bylaw No. 1873, 2021, s. 2.1](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/138896)
  - Official wording: "Aggressive Dog means a dog that, being over the age of 6 months:" … "has, without provocation, caused a minor injury to another domestic animal or to" … "Dangerous Dog has the same meaning as defined in section 49 of the Community Charter"
  - Source: [Dog Care and Control Bylaw No. 1873, 2021, s. 2.1 (Vicious Dog)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/138896)
  - Official wording: "has, without provocation, caused a minor injury to a person or to a domestic animal" … "on more than one occasion"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Rules for owners:** Aggressive dog: the designation notice may require a 1 m leash in public, no off-leash areas, and permanent ID within 1 month. Vicious dog: it may require never at large, 1 m leash and muzzle in public, a locked secure enclosure when unattended, warning signs, ID within 1 month. Dangerous dog: secure enclosure, muzzle off the premises, no off-leash areas, ID within 30 days.
  - Source: [Dog Care and Control Bylaw No. 1873, 2021, s. 9.1](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/138896)
  - Official wording: "secure the dog by a collar or harness and a leash, with a maximum length of one" … "ensure the dog has permanent identification within one month of the dog being" … "which may include any or all of the following:" … "shall confine the dog in a secure enclosure" … "within 30 days of the dog been designated a dangerous dog"
  - Source: [Dog Care and Control Bylaw No. 1873, 2021, s. 10.1](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/138896)
  - Official wording: "the dog must be muzzled in such a manner as to prevent it from being able to bite a" … "a clearly visible sign must be posted at all points of entry onto any premises where"
  - Source: [Dog Care and Control Bylaw No. 1873, 2021, s. 11(a)-(c)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/138896)
  - Official wording: "shall confine the dog in a secure enclosure" … "and shall muzzle the dog whenever it is off the owner's or harbourer's premises." … "within 30 days of the dog been designated a dangerous dog"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Licence fee:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **How to report:** Call the City Bylaw department at 250-546-3023 or use the complaint form on the Bylaw Compliance & Services page. Anonymous complaints are not accepted. If urgent after City Hall hours, call the office to be connected to the after-hours emergency line, or the North Okanagan RCMP at 250-546-3028; call 911 in an emergency.
  - Source: [Bylaw Compliance and Services, Bylaw Compliance & Services page](https://www.cityofarmstrong.bc.ca/departments/bylaw-enforcement/)
  - Official wording: "Phone: 250-546-3023 Please Note: Anonymous complaints are not accepted." … "Please complete the form below or call City Hall:" … "please call the office to be connected to the after-hours emergency line" … "North Okanagan RCMP at 250-546-3028"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket (full amount, or the lower amount if paid within 30 days): failure to fulfil aggressive-dog requirements $200 ($200); vicious-dog requirements $500 ($500); dangerous-dog requirements $1,000 ($1,000); failure to control dog (includes biting, s. 7(k)) $150 ($100). Disease dog posing a threat $300 ($200).
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 1889, 2022, Schedule 4](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/165574)
  - Official wording: "Failure to fulfil aggressive dog requirements 9.1 (a, b, c, $200.00 $200.00" … "Failure to fulfil vicious dog requirements 10 (a, b, c, $500.00 $500.00" … "Failure to fulfil dangerous dog requirements 11 (a, b, c, $1,000.00 $1,000.00" … "Failure to control dog 7 (a, b, c, d, $150.00 $100.00"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 1889, 2022, Schedule 4, s. 5(b)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/165574)
  - Official wording: "Column 4 represents the fine payable if payment is received within 30 days"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** City of Armstrong Dog Care and Control Bylaw No. 1873, 2021 (ss. 9-11); Community Charter s. 49 (dangerous dogs).
  - Source: [Dog Care and Control Bylaw No. 1873, 2021, s. 1 (Title)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/138896)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited as "City of Armstrong Dog Care and Control Bylaw No. 1873,"
  - Source: [Dog Care and Control Bylaw No. 1873, 2021, s. 2.1](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/138896)
  - Official wording: "Dangerous Dog has the same meaning as defined in section 49 of the Community Charter"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The Chief Bylaw Officer decides, by written notice, whether a dog is aggressive, vicious or dangerous under the [Dog Care and Control Bylaw](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/138896).

- **Aggressive:** over 6 months old and, without provocation, showed aggressive behaviour in public or caused a minor injury.
- **Vicious:** repeated or major injury, or likely to cause repeat injuries.
- **Dangerous:** as defined in section 49 of the Community Charter.

## What the owner may have to do

For aggressive and vicious dogs the bylaw says the designation notice "may include" the following, so the notice sets which apply.

- **Aggressive:** a 1 metre leash in public, no off-leash areas, and permanent identification within 1 month.
- **Vicious:** never at large, a 1 metre leash and muzzle in public, a locked secure enclosure when unattended, warning signs, and identification within 1 month. The owner must also tell a prospective new owner and the City in writing before a transfer.
- **Dangerous:** a secure enclosure, a muzzle off the premises, no off-leash areas, and identification within 30 days.

## Good to know

- The owner of a vicious dog may make written representations within 14 days. After one year the owner of an aggressive dog may apply to have the designation removed.
- A dangerous dog can be seized and held up to 21 days while the City applies to Provincial Court.
- A disease dog posing a threat: $300 ticket ($200 if paid within 30 days).
- To report, call City Hall at 250-546-3023 or use the complaint form on the Bylaw Compliance and Services page. Anonymous complaints are not accepted. If urgent after hours, call the office to be connected to the after-hours line, or call the RCMP at 250-546-3028; in an emergency call 911.

## Official forms and pages

- [Dog Care and Control Bylaw No. 1873, 2021 (PDF)](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/138896)

## Related questions

- [Armstrong dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Armstrong dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/dog-licence.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Spallumcheen](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Vernon](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Coldstream](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Lake Country](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Dog Care and Control Bylaw No. 1873, 2021 (PDF), City of Armstrong](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/138896) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 1889, 2022, Schedule 4 (PDF), City of Armstrong](https://armstrong.civicweb.net/document/165574) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Compliance and Services, City of Armstrong](https://www.cityofarmstrong.bc.ca/departments/bylaw-enforcement/) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Armstrong. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/dangerous-dogs/_