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

# Courtenay rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

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

**Short answer:** Courtenay's Animal Control Bylaw has no "dangerous dog" declaration process. It bans keeping a dog that has killed or injured a person or domestic animal, or has attacked, chased or menaced someone unprovoked. An owner of a dog known to be prone to attack must keep it confined, and muzzled or controlled by an adult outside.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Courtenay, https://www.courtenay.ca)  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement, 250-334-4441 ext. 5 (Seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.)
- Email: Bylaw Enforcement, bylaw@courtenay.ca
- Online: Bylaw complaint form, https://digitalsmartforms.ca/f/l/CourtenayBylawComplaint

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** The bylaw has no "dangerous dog" declaration process. It bans keeping a dog that has killed or injured a person or domestic animal, or that unprovoked has attacked, chased or menacingly approached a person in a public place, or is used for dog fighting.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897 (consolidated July 2021), s. 18](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021)
  - Official wording: "which has killed or injured a person or domestic animal;" … "when unprovoked, has attacked, chased or approached a person or" … "any dog owned or harboured primarily or in part for the purpose of dog fighting"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Rules for owners:** An owner of a dog known to have a propensity to attack or viciously pursue a person or domestic animal must confine it in a building or secure enclosure, and keep it effectively muzzled, caged or under the effective control of an adult whenever it is outside.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897 (consolidated July 2021), s. 19](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021)
  - Official wording: "The owner of a dog which is known by the owner to have a propensity to attack or viciously pursue a person or domestic animal" … "shall confine the dog in a building or secure enclosure and shall keep the dog effectively muzzled, caged, or otherwise under the effective control of an adult person"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Licence fee:** None set. Courtenay's Animal Control Bylaw sets no separate licence fee for a dangerous or aggressive dog.
- **How to report:** Contact Bylaw Enforcement: bylaw complaint form, email bylaw@courtenay.ca, or call 250-334-4441 (ext. 5). The City does not respond to anonymous complaints.
  - Source: [Bylaws, Contact Bylaw Enforcement](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws)
  - Official wording: "submit a bylaw complaint form - email bylaw@courtenay.ca - call 250-334-4441 (ext. 5)" … "We do not respond to anonymous complaints."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: failing to confine or muzzle a vicious dog $500 each ($375 if paid within 14 days; $500 if paid late). No compliance agreement is available.
  - Source: [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185, Appendix A, Animal Control Bylaw](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf)
  - Official wording: "Fail to confine vicious dog IV.19 $500.00 $375.00 $500.00 No" … "Fail to muzzle vicious dog IV.19 $500.00 $375.00 $500.00 No"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897, 1996
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897 (consolidated July 2021), s. 44](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021)
  - Official wording: "Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897, 1996"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Animal Control Bylaw](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021) of the City of Courtenay does not set up a process for declaring a dog "dangerous". Instead it sets plain rules for owners, and Animal Control Officers enforce them. The bylaw sets no separate licence fee for a dangerous or aggressive dog.

## Good to know

- No one may keep a dog that has killed or injured a person or domestic animal, or that unprovoked has attacked, chased or menacingly approached a person in a public place, or that is used for dog fighting.
- If you own a dog known to have a propensity to attack or viciously pursue a person or domestic animal, you must confine it in a building or secure enclosure. Whenever it is outside, keep it effectively muzzled, caged or under the effective control of an adult.
- A bylaw notice for failing to confine or muzzle a vicious dog is $500 each ($375 if paid within 14 days; $500 if paid late). No compliance agreement is available. Keeping a prohibited dog has no bylaw-notice amount; the bylaw sets a court fine of $50 to $2,000.
- To report a dog, contact Bylaw Enforcement by the complaint form, email or phone. The City does not respond to anonymous complaints.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw 1897 (consolidated PDF)](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021)
- [Animal control, City of Courtenay](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/animal-control)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Powell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1897 (consolidated July 2021) (PDF)](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw-no1897-consolidated-version-jul-2021) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal control, City of Courtenay](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/animal-control) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaws, City of Courtenay](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185 (PDF)](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf) (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 is recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Courtenay. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/dangerous-dogs/_