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

# Burnaby rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

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

**Short answer:** Burnaby's Animal Control Bylaw has one category, "vicious dog": a dog that has bitten or injured a person or domestic animal without provocation, or a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier or pit bull type dog. Vicious dogs must be muzzled in public and securely confined at home.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Burnaby, https://www.burnaby.ca)  
**Cost:** Licence: $132 spayed or neutered, $200 not. A bylaw notice is $500 ($400 if paid within 15 days) for an unmuzzled or unconfined vicious dog, or a dog that attacks.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Animal Control Office, 604-294-7944 (7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Outside those hours call Burnaby RCMP non-emergency, 604-646-9999. Call 911 for immediate risk.)
- Online: Report an animal control incident, https://www.burnaby.ca/form/animal-control

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** The bylaw calls these 'vicious dogs': a dog that without provocation has bitten or caused injury to a person or a domestic animal (not a trespasser), or a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier or any dog generally recognized as a pit bull or pit bull terrier, including mixed breeds with predominant pit bull characteristics. The pound keeper may impound a vicious dog and keep it up to 21 days to assess whether it is a threat.
  - Source: [Burnaby Animal Control Bylaw 1991 (No. 9609), consolidated, s. 2(1) "vicious dog"; s. 9(4)](https://bylaws.burnaby.ca/media/Consolidated/9609CC.pdf)
  - Official wording: "“vicious dog” means" … "a dog that without provocation has bitten or caused injury to a" … "a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, an American Pit Bull Terrier and any" … "twenty-one days after it has been seized and impounded in order to determine whether the animal is"
  - Source: [Dog Licences, Dog Licences page](https://www.burnaby.ca/services-and-payments/pets-and-animals/dog-licences)
  - Official wording: "**A vicious or dangerous dog is:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Rules for owners:** Muzzle the dog whenever it is on a highway, park or other public place. While on your premises, keep it securely confined indoors, or in a fenced yard enclosure that keeps out children, prevents escape, and has a vicious-dog sign at each point of entry. The City says pit bulls must wear a muzzle at all times, even on a leash.
  - Source: [Burnaby Animal Control Bylaw 1991 (No. 9609), consolidated, s. 5(2), 7](https://bylaws.burnaby.ca/media/Consolidated/9609CC.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Every owner of a vicious dog shall keep it muzzled while on a highway," … "Every owner of a vicious dog shall, while the dog is on the owner's premises," … "posted with a sign at each point of entry advising that a vicious"
  - Source: [Dog Off-leash Areas, Legal responsibilities](https://www.burnaby.ca/explore-outdoors/dog-off-leash-areas)
  - Official wording: "Pit bulls must wear a muzzle at all times–even when they're on a leash."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Licence fee:** Annual licence: spayed or neutered vicious dog $132; unaltered vicious dog $200 (the same whether paid before or after March 1).
  - Source: [Consolidated Fees and Charges Bylaw 14485, Schedule A1](https://bylaws.burnaby.ca/media/Consolidated/14485CC.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Spayed or neutered vicious o If paid by March 1 $132.00" … "Unaltered vicious dog o If paid by March 1 $200.00"
  - Source: [Dog Licences, Licensing fees](https://www.burnaby.ca/services-and-payments/pets-and-animals/dog-licences)
  - Official wording: "**Vicious dog-spayed/neutered | $132 | $132"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Animal control office: 604-294-7944 (7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or the City's online animal control incident form, for dog bites and attacks. Outside office hours call Burnaby RCMP non-emergency 604-646-9999. Call 911 if there is an immediate risk to public safety.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Burnaby SPCA, Animal control services](https://www.burnaby.ca/services-and-payments/pets-and-animals/animal-control-and-burnaby-spca)
  - Official wording: "minor animal welfare concerns, barking dogs, dog bite and attacks" … "The animal control office is available to take your calls 7 days a week, from 9 am-5 pm." … "Call 911 in the case of any situation where there is an immediate risk to public safety or another animal." … "604-646-9999"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice, each $500 ($400 if paid within 15 days): vicious dog not muzzled (s. 5(2)); dog attacks a person or other animal (s. 5(2A)); unconfined vicious dog (s. 7).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 12657, Schedule A, Schedule A, Animal Control Bylaw](https://bylaws.burnaby.ca/media/Consolidated/12657CC.pdf)
  - Official wording: "5(2) Vicious dog unmuzzled 500 400 NO" … "5(2A) Dog attacked person or other animal 500 400 NO" … "7 Unconfined vicious dog 500 400 NO"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Burnaby Animal Control Bylaw 1991 (Bylaw No. 9609).
  - Source: [Burnaby Animal Control Bylaw 1991 (No. 9609), consolidated, title](https://bylaws.burnaby.ca/media/Consolidated/9609CC.pdf)
  - Official wording: "BURNABY ANIMAL CONTROL BYLAW 1991"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

In the [Animal Control Bylaw](https://bylaws.burnaby.ca/media/Consolidated/9609CC.pdf), a "vicious dog" is a dog that, without provocation, has bitten or injured a person or a domestic animal (a trespasser does not count), or a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier or any dog generally recognized as a pit bull, including mixed breeds with mainly pit bull characteristics. The definition applies automatically; the bylaw describes no declaration process.

## Rules for owners

1. Muzzle the dog whenever it is on a highway, park or other public place. The City says pit bulls must wear a muzzle at all times, even on a leash.
2. At home, keep it securely confined indoors, or in a fenced yard enclosure that keeps out children, prevents escape and has a vicious-dog sign at each point of entry.
3. Pay the vicious dog licence fee: $132 spayed or neutered, $200 not, whether paid before or after March 1.

## Good to know

- The pound keeper may impound a vicious dog and keep it up to 21 days to assess whether it is a threat.
- Impoundment of a vicious dog costs $264 the first time and $528 each time after.
- Bylaw notices, each $500 ($400 if paid within 15 days): vicious dog not muzzled; dog attacks a person or other animal; unconfined vicious dog. A court fine can reach $10,000.
- To report a bite or attack, call the Animal Control Office at 604-294-7944 or use the City's online form.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw 9609 (consolidated PDF)](https://bylaws.burnaby.ca/media/Consolidated/9609CC.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Burnaby dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/dog-licence.md)
- [Burnaby dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/how-many-pets.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Richmond](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Port Moody](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-moody/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Belcarra](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/belcarra/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Coquitlam](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Burnaby Animal Control Bylaw 1991 (No. 9609), consolidated (PDF)](https://bylaws.burnaby.ca/media/Consolidated/9609CC.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Dog Licences, City of Burnaby](https://www.burnaby.ca/services-and-payments/pets-and-animals/dog-licences) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 12657, Schedule A (PDF)](https://bylaws.burnaby.ca/media/Consolidated/12657CC.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Consolidated Fees and Charges Bylaw 14485, Schedule A1 (PDF)](https://bylaws.burnaby.ca/media/Consolidated/14485CC.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Dog Off-leash Areas, City of Burnaby](https://www.burnaby.ca/explore-outdoors/dog-off-leash-areas) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control and Burnaby SPCA, City of Burnaby](https://www.burnaby.ca/services-and-payments/pets-and-animals/animal-control-and-burnaby-spca) (read 2026-11-05)

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