---
title: Canal Flats rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs
question: "What are the rules for aggressive or dangerous dogs in Canal Flats?"
place: Canal Flats, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/canal-flats
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: Village of Canal Flats
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/dangerous-dogs/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/dangerous-dogs.json"
---

# Canal Flats rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

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

**Short answer:** In Canal Flats, the Dog Control Bylaw uses the term "vicious dog". An officer or the RCMP can designate one. The owner must then muzzle and leash it off the property, keep it in a fenced rear yard, and post warning signs.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Canal Flats, https://www.canalflats.ca)  
**Cost:** The bylaw sets no separate licence fee for a vicious dog; an ordinary licence is required.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office (Columbia Discovery Centre), 8866 Grainger Road, Canal Flats, BC V0B 1B0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:00 to 1:00))
- Phone: Village Office, 250-349-5462
- Phone: Community Enhancement Officer (Bylaw and Dog Control), 250-420-7121

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** The bylaw uses 'vicious dog'. A Dog Control Officer, Bylaw Enforcement Officer or RCMP member designates a dog based on evidence that it killed or seriously injured a person or animal, bit, attacked or aggressively pursued without provocation, has a tendency to attack without provocation, was trained or owned for dog fighting, or is likely to kill or seriously injure a person. The owner may ask for reconsideration within 14 days, then ask Council.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 225, 2019, s. 2 definition; s. 10](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/12029/)
  - Official wording: "A dog which has killed or seriously injured a person or animal;" … "A dog which has been trained for, or is owned for, the purpose of dog fighting;" … "within fourteen (14) calendar days of the notice being delivered" … "Council may confirm or reverse the designation of the dog as a vicious dog and the decision of Council is final"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Rules for owners:** Off the owner's property the dog must be on a leash, muzzled and under the immediate charge of a responsible person. In a vehicle it must be muzzled and secured. Outdoors on the property it must be in a rear yard fully enclosed by a solid fence 1.8 m high with self-closing, locking gates. Indoors it must be secured in the dwelling. It must wear a valid licence, and warning signs must be posted at all entrances.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 225, 2019, s. 11](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/12029/)
  - Official wording: "the dog is on leash, muzzled and under the immediate charge and control of a person responsible" … "completely enclosed with a solid fence that is 1.8 meters in height" … "ensure the vicious dog wears a valid dog license at all times" … "signs designed or written in a manner to indicate that a person should exercise caution"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Licence fee:** Not confirmed. The fee amounts for aggressive and dangerous dogs could not be read from the bylaw schedule.
- **How to report:** File the Village's Bylaw-Related Complaint Form. Verbal complaints are taken seriously, but the Village cannot act until a formal complaint is filed; complaints are confidential. Dog control is handled by the Community Enhancement Officer (Bylaw and Dog Control), 250-420-7121; Village office 250-349-5462.
  - Source: [Animal Bylaws, news post, May 6, 2024](https://www.canalflats.ca/animal-bylaws/)
  - Official wording: "we are unable to take any courses of action until a formal complaint has been filed" … "All formal complaints are confidential"
  - Source: [Village Office, Village Office page](https://www.canalflats.ca/village-services/village-office/)
  - Official wording: "Community Enhancement Officer (Bylaw and Dog Control) 250-420-7121" … "Bylaw-Related Complaint Form"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $100 ($75 if paid within 14 days; $125 after 28 days). Municipal ticket: $100. (Examples: vicious dog off the owner's premises not properly leashed or muzzled; not secured in a vehicle or rear yard; vicious dog at large.) Dog attacking or pursuing a person or animal: $50 municipal ticket, $100 bylaw notice.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 242, 2021, Bylaw 242, Schedule A](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/20426/)
  - Official wording: "Vicious dog off the owner's" … "Vicious dog at large" … "$100 $75 $125 No"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 231, 2020, Bylaw 231, Schedule D](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/47771/)
  - Official wording: "Vicious dog off the owner’s premises not properly" … "11(a)(i) $100.00" … "Vicious dog at large 11(b) $100.00" … "Dog attacking or pursuing person or animal 8(c) $50.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Canal Flats Dog Control Bylaw No. 225, 2019
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 225, 2019, Citation](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/12029/)
  - Official wording: "Village of Canal Flats Dog Control Bylaw No. 225, 2019"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Dog Control Bylaw No. 225, 2019](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/12029/) calls these animals "vicious dogs". A Dog Control Officer, Bylaw Enforcement Officer or RCMP member can designate a dog as vicious based on evidence that it killed or seriously injured a person or animal, bit or attacked or aggressively pursued without provocation, tends to attack without provocation, was trained or owned for dog fighting, or is likely to kill or seriously injure a person. The owner may ask for reconsideration within 14 days, and then ask Council, whose decision is final.

## Steps

1. To report a dog, file the Village's Bylaw-Related Complaint Form. The Village cannot act until a formal complaint is filed; complaints are confidential.
2. Take or send the form to the Village office, 8866 Grainger Road, or call 250-349-5462.
3. For dog control, you can also call the Community Enhancement Officer at 250-420-7121.

## Good to know

- Owner rules for a designated dog: off the property it must be on a leash, muzzled and under the immediate charge of a responsible person. In a vehicle it must be muzzled and secured. Outdoors on the property it must be in a rear yard fully enclosed by a solid fence 1.8 m high with self-closing, locking gates. Indoors it must be secured in the dwelling.
- It must wear a valid licence, and warning signs must be posted at all entrances. The owner must give 7 days' notice of a change of address or owner.
- A vicious dog off the owner's premises not properly leashed or muzzled, or at large: bylaw notice $100 ($75 if paid within 14 days, $125 after 28 days) or municipal ticket $100.
- A dog attacking or pursuing a person or animal: municipal ticket $50, bylaw notice $100. The two ticket systems differ here, so confirm with the Village.

## Official forms and pages

- [Dog Control Bylaw No. 225, 2019 (PDF)](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/12029/)
- [Animal Bylaws](https://www.canalflats.ca/animal-bylaws/)
- [Village Office](https://www.canalflats.ca/village-services/village-office/)

## Related questions

- [Canal Flats dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/dog-licence.md)
- [Canal Flats dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Canal Flats](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/how-many-pets.md)
- [Canal Flats noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/noise-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Invermere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Radium Hot Springs](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/radium-hot-springs/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Kimberley](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Elkford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Cranbrook](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Kaslo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Dog Control Bylaw No. 225, 2019 (PDF), Village of Canal Flats](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/12029/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Animal Bylaws, Village of Canal Flats](https://www.canalflats.ca/animal-bylaws/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Village Office, Village of Canal Flats](https://www.canalflats.ca/village-services/village-office/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 242, 2021 (PDF), Village of Canal Flats](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/20426/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 231, 2020 (PDF), Village of Canal Flats](https://canalflats.civicweb.net/document/47771/) (read 2026-11-08)

_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 Village of Canal Flats. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/dangerous-dogs/_