{"title":"Clearwater rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs","question":"What are the rules for aggressive or dangerous dogs?","slug":"dangerous-dogs","place":{"path":"ca/bc/clearwater","name":"Clearwater","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"pets-and-wildlife","name":"Pets, animals and wildlife"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of Clearwater","url":"https://www.districtofclearwater.com"},"short_answer":"In Clearwater, the Animal Control Officer can designate a dog aggressive, for example after an unprovoked bite or attack. The owner must then confine the dog, muzzle and leash it (leash no more than 2.4 m) in public, and post a warning sign. Tickets run from $200 to $1,000.","aliases":["aggressive dog clearwater","dangerous dog clearwater","dog bite clearwater","report dangerous dog clearwater"],"cost":"No licence fee. Impound: $175 plus $50 per day board. Tickets $200 to $1,000.","how_long":"Owner may ask for reconsideration within 10 days of notice, then ask Council to review within 14 days of the decision.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Enforcement Officer","value":"250-674-2257","note":"Complaints must be in writing or on the online form, with your name and phone number. Email bylaw@docbc.ca."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater","url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/"},{"title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater","url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-leash-rules","title":"Clearwater dog leash rules and off-leash areas","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/dog-leash-rules/"},{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Clearwater","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/how-many-pets/"},{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Clearwater bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/bylaw-fines/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/barriere","name":"Barriere","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sun-peaks","name":"Sun Peaks","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sun-peaks/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/100-mile-house","name":"100 Mile House","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kamloops","name":"Kamloops","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sicamous","name":"Sicamous","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/enderby","name":"Enderby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/dangerous-dogs/"}],"topic":{"title":"Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs/"},"facts":{"how_declared":{"label":"How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive","value":"The Animal Control Officer may designate a dog aggressive: over 4 months and bit or attacked without provocation causing at least minor injury; approached or pursued someone aggressively off its property; used for dog fighting; or shows a propensity to attack. The owner may ask for reconsideration within 10 days, then ask Council to review within 14 days. 'Dangerous dog' means as in s. 49 of the Community Charter (court order).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater","section":"s. 2.1, s. 13.1, 13.3, 13.5","quotes":["“Aggressive dog\" means:","may designate a dog as an aggressive dog for the purposes of","within 10 calendar days of being delivered notice","within 14 days of the date of the Animal Control Officer’s decision","has the same meaning as defined in section 49 of the Community Charter","(a) a dog that, being over the age of 4 months, has without provocation bitten or attacked a","person or domestic animal, resulting in at least a minor injury;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"owner_rules":{"label":"Rules for owners","value":"Keep an aggressive dog indoors or in an enclosure that stops children entering and the dog escaping. In public it must be muzzled and on a leash of no more than 2.4 m held by a competent person. Post warning signs, and tell the Animal Control Officer of a sale, death, loose dog or bite.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater","section":"s. 13.7 to 13.12","quotes":["keep the dog securely confined either indoors","muzzled by a properly","leash not exceeding 2.4 metres in length","must post a warning sign","advise the Animal Control Officer immediately if the dog is loose or has bitten or attacked"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fee":{"label":"Licence fee","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Clearwater's Animal Control Bylaw has no licensing, so there is no aggressive-dog fee.","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater"}]},"report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Bylaw complaints must be made in writing or with the online form, with your name and phone number; anonymous complaints are not investigated. Bylaw Enforcement Officer: (250) 674-2257, bylaw@docbc.ca.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.districtofclearwater.com/residents/municipal-ticketing-information-mti/","title":"Municipal Ticketing Information (MTI), District of Clearwater","section":"Report a bylaw infraction","quotes":["Complaints must be made in writing or by using the online form.","complaints cannot be made anonymously"]},{"url":"https://www.districtofclearwater.com/municipal-hall/bylaws/","title":"Bylaws, District of Clearwater","section":"Bylaw Enforcement","quotes":["anonymous complaints are not investigated","Email: bylaw@docbc.ca"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Municipal tickets: allow an animal to attack or bite a person or domestic animal $1,000 ($750 if paid in 30 days); aggressive dog not confined $500 ($400); on property without consent $500 ($400); without leash or muzzle $500 ($400); no warning sign $200 ($150); sign defaced or removed $500 ($400); fail to notify of address change, death, loose dog or bite $200 ($150).","short":"Ticket $500 ($400 if paid in 30 days); $1,000 attack","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater","section":"Schedule 7","quotes":["Aggressive dog – not adequately confined","Aggressive dog – no warning sign","Aggressive dog – without leash or muzzle","fail to notify of address change /","Allow animal to attack or bite person or domestic"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"District of Clearwater Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the “District of Clearwater Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016”."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":1,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder the District's [Animal Control Bylaw No. 148](<https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/>), the Animal Control Officer may designate a dog aggressive if it is over 4 months old and, without provocation, bit or attacked a person or domestic animal causing at least a minor injury; approached or pursued someone aggressively off its property; was used for dog fighting; or shows a propensity to attack. \"Dangerous dog\" has the meaning in section 49 of the Community Charter (a court order).\n\n## Owner rules\n\n- Keep the dog indoors or in an enclosure that stops children getting in and the dog getting out.\n- In public, the dog must be muzzled and on a leash of no more than 2.4 m held by a competent person.\n- Post a warning sign.\n- Tell the Animal Control Officer if the dog is sold, dies, gets loose or bites.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- You can ask for reconsideration within 10 days of the notice, then ask Council to review within 14 days of the decision.\n- Report a dog by writing or using the online form, with your name and phone number; anonymous complaints are not investigated. Call 250-674-2257 or email bylaw@docbc.ca.\n- Municipal tickets ([MTI Bylaw No. 221](<https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/>)): allowing an animal to attack or bite $1,000 ($750 if paid in 30 days); aggressive dog not confined, on property without consent, or without leash or muzzle $500 ($400); no warning sign $200 ($150); sign defaced or removed $500 ($400); failing to notify $200 ($150).","sources":[{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28337/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 148, 2016 (PDF), District of Clearwater","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.districtofclearwater.com/residents/municipal-ticketing-information-mti/","title":"Municipal Ticketing Information (MTI), District of Clearwater","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.districtofclearwater.com/municipal-hall/bylaws/","title":"Bylaws, District of Clearwater","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/dangerous-dogs/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/dangerous-dogs.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/dangerous-dogs.json"}}