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

# Campbell River rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

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

**Short answer:** Campbell River's Animal Control Bylaw defines vicious and dangerous dogs. Their owners must keep them in a building or secure enclosure and muzzled or caged whenever they are let out. Report a dangerous dog to Animal Control at 236-472-1013.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Campbell River, https://www.campbellriver.ca)  
**Cost:** Municipal tickets: $1,000 for a dangerous dog at large or not confined, muzzled or controlled; $750 for a vicious dog at large or not confined or muzzled; $500 for keeping a dog that killed or injured a person or animal, or attacked or chased a person menacingly. Impound fees: $750 vicious, $1,000 dangerous.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Animal Control (7 days a week, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.), 236-472-1013

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** A dangerous dog has killed or seriously injured a person, has killed or seriously injured a domestic animal off its owner's property, or an animal control officer has reasonable grounds to believe it is likely to kill or seriously injure a person. A vicious dog has bitten or attacked without provocation, approached a person menacingly in a public place, or has a known tendency to attack. The owner is bound once they know, or the Animal Control Officer informs them.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3520, 2013 (consolidated), Part 2, s. 6.11](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3520-animal-control-bylaw-2013-consolidated-3610)
  - Official wording: "has killed or seriously injured a person;" … "an animal control officer has reasonable grounds to believe is likely to" … "has without provocation bitten or attacked a person or" … "has been informed by an Animal Control Officer, to be a Dangerous Dog"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Rules for owners:** Confine the dog in a building or secure enclosure and keep it effectively muzzled or caged whenever it is released from the enclosure. For a dangerous dog, also take any further control measures the Animal Control Officer requires in writing. In public it must be on a leash no longer than 1.83 m. An officer may apply to Provincial Court to seize and destroy a dangerous dog.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3520, 2013 (consolidated), ss. 6.7, 6.11, 6.13](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3520-animal-control-bylaw-2013-consolidated-3610)
  - Official wording: "shall confine the" … "dog in a building or secure enclosure and shall keep the dog effectively muzzled or" … "take any further control or containment measures required by an Animal Control" … "leash or chain that does not exceed 1.83 meters (6 feet) in length" … "to seize and impound 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 Animal Control at 236-472-1013 (Animal Control Officers are available seven days a week, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.). Complaints must include your name and contact details; anonymous complaints are not accepted.
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement, Animal Control Violations](https://www.campbellriver.ca/community-safety/bylaw-enforcement)
  - Official wording: "To make a complaint related to animal control, contact 236-472-1013." … "We do not accept anonymous complaints."
  - Source: [Animal Control and Dog Licences, Animal Control Services](https://www.campbellriver.ca/city-services/animal-control-dog-licences)
  - Official wording: "Animal Control Officers are available seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and can be contacted by phone."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal tickets: dangerous dog at large $1,000; failing to confine, muzzle or control a dangerous dog $1,000; failing to confine or muzzle a vicious dog $750; vicious dog at large $750; keeping a dog that killed or injured a person or animal $500; keeping a dog that attacked or chased a person in a menacing way $500.
  - Source: [Ticketing for Bylaw Offences Bylaw No. 3322, 2007 (consolidated to Bylaw 4003, 2025), Sch. 2](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3322-ticketing-bylaw-offences-consolidated-bylaw-4003-2025pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dangerous Dog at large" … "Fail to confine, muzzle or cage a vicious dog" … "Fail to confine, muzzle, cage or otherwise contain or" … "Keep dog that has killed or injured a person or domestic" … "Keep dog that when unprovoked has attacked or chased"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 3520, 2013
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3520, 2013 (consolidated), title](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3520-animal-control-bylaw-2013-consolidated-3610)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as Animal Control Bylaw No. 3520, 2013."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Animal Control Bylaw](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3520-animal-control-bylaw-2013-consolidated-3610), a dangerous dog has killed or seriously injured a person, has killed or seriously injured a domestic animal off its owner's property, or an animal control officer has reasonable grounds to believe it is likely to kill or seriously injure a person. A vicious dog has bitten or attacked without provocation, approached a person menacingly in a public place, or has a known tendency to attack. The owner is bound once they know, or the Animal Control Officer informs them.

## Good to know

- The owner must confine the dog in a building or secure enclosure and keep it effectively muzzled or caged whenever it is released from the enclosure.
- For a dangerous dog, the owner must also take any further control measures the Animal Control Officer requires in writing.
- In public the dog must be on a leash no longer than 1.83 metres.
- An officer may apply to Provincial Court to seize and destroy a dangerous dog.
- No separate licence fee for dangerous or vicious dogs was found; the annual licence fees depend only on spay or neuter status.
- To report a dog, call Animal Control at 236-472-1013 (officers are available seven days a week, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.). Give your name and contact details; anonymous complaints are not accepted.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw 3520, 2013 (PDF)](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3520-animal-control-bylaw-2013-consolidated-3610)
- [Animal Control and Dog Licences](https://www.campbellriver.ca/city-services/animal-control-dog-licences)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Powell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Sayward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 3520, 2013 (consolidated) (PDF)](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3520-animal-control-bylaw-2013-consolidated-3610) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control and Dog Licences, City of Campbell River](https://www.campbellriver.ca/city-services/animal-control-dog-licences) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, City of Campbell River](https://www.campbellriver.ca/community-safety/bylaw-enforcement) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Ticketing for Bylaw Offences Bylaw No. 3322, 2007 (consolidated to Bylaw 4003, 2025) (PDF)](https://www.campbellriver.ca/media/file/3322-ticketing-bylaw-offences-consolidated-bylaw-4003-2025pdf) (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 Campbell River. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/dangerous-dogs/_