{"title":"Fort St James rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs","question":"What are the rules for dangerous dogs in Fort St James?","slug":"dangerous-dogs","place":{"path":"ca/bc/fort-st-james","name":"Fort St James","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 Fort St James","url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca"},"short_answer":"In Fort St James, a dangerous dog must be leashed, muzzled and under its owner's control off the owner's property, and securely confined on it. The bylaw has no separate \"aggressive\" category. Report a dog to the District office.","aliases":["dangerous dog fort st james","aggressive dog fort st james","vicious dog fort st james","dog attack fort st james"],"cost":"No separate licence fee for a dangerous dog; ordinary licence fees apply. Impoundment is $250 the first time in a calendar year and $500 after that, plus $10 a day.","how_long":"Not applicable.","where":[{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Hall","value":"477 Stuart Drive West, Fort St. James, BC V0J 1P0","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."},{"type":"phone","label":"District Office","value":"250-996-8233"},{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Enforcement Officer","value":"250-996-8670 ext. 3"},{"type":"phone","label":"Fort St. James RCMP (vicious dog attacks)","value":"250-996-8269"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025 (PDF), District of Fort St James","url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/833%20Animal%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20%5BConsolidated%20March%202025%5D.pdf"},{"title":"Animal Control and Conservation, District of Fort St James","url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/services/protective-services/animal-control-conservation"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-leash-rules","title":"Fort St James dog leash rules and off-leash areas","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-james/dog-leash-rules/"},{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Fort St James dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-james/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Fort St James","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-james/how-many-pets/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/vanderhoof","name":"Vanderhoof","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vanderhoof/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/prince-george","name":"Prince George","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/mackenzie","name":"Mackenzie","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/granisle","name":"Granisle","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/houston","name":"Houston","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/telkwa","name":"Telkwa","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/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":"A dangerous dog is one that has killed or injured a person, or killed or injured a companion or farm animal while running at large; one an Animal Control Officer has reasonable grounds to believe is likely to kill or seriously injure a person; one that aggressively harasses or pursues a person or animal while running at large; one kept or trained for dog fighting; or one that records of the SPCA, RCMP or another municipality, or the owner's knowledge, show has killed, injured or aggressively harassed a person or animal.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/833%20Animal%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20%5BConsolidated%20March%202025%5D.pdf","title":"Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025 (PDF), District of Fort St James","section":"s. 2.14","quotes":["Dangerous Dog means:","any dog that an Animal Control Officer has reasonable grounds to believe is likely to kill or seriously injure a person"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"owner_rules":{"label":"Rules for owners","value":"Off the owner's premises a dangerous dog must be on a leash, muzzled and under an owner's care and control. On the owner's premises it must be kept securely confined at all times, indoors or in an enclosure. A dangerous dog at large may be impounded and quarantined seven days at the owner's cost.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/833%20Animal%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20%5BConsolidated%20March%202025%5D.pdf","title":"Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025 (PDF), District of Fort St James","section":"s. 4.2.5(b)","quotes":["(i) on a leash; and","(ii) muzzled; and"]},{"url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/833%20Animal%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20%5BConsolidated%20March%202025%5D.pdf","title":"Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025 (PDF), District of Fort St James","section":"s. 4.2.5(c)","quotes":["securely confined at all times, either indoors, or in an enclosure"]},{"url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/833%20Animal%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20%5BConsolidated%20March%202025%5D.pdf","title":"Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025 (PDF), District of Fort St James","section":"s. 6.4.1(c)","quotes":["must be kept quarantined at the animal shelter for a period of seven (7)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fee":{"label":"Licence fee","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Fort St James's Animal Regulation Bylaw has no separate dangerous-dog fee.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/833%20Animal%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20%5BConsolidated%20March%202025%5D.pdf","title":"Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025 (PDF), District of Fort St James"}]},"report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Call the District Office at (250) 996-8233 or the Bylaw Enforcement Officer at (250) 996-8670 ext 3, use the online Comments and Complaints form, or visit the District Office. After hours leave a message for the Bylaw Enforcement Officer; for vicious dog attacks call the RCMP at (250) 996-8269.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/services/protective-services/animal-control-conservation","title":"Animal Control and Conservation, District of Fort St James","section":"Animal Control page","quotes":["Call the District Office to report an animal at (250) 996-8233","Call the Bylaw Enforcement Officer at (250) 996-8670 ext 3","For Vicious Dog Attacks contact RCMP at (250) 996-8269"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Failure to keep dog securely confined: $25. A dangerous dog's impoundment fee is $250 the first time in a calendar year and $500 after that, plus $10 a day maintenance.","short":"$25 (not securely confined)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/833%20Animal%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20%5BConsolidated%20March%202025%5D.pdf","title":"Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025 (PDF), District of Fort St James","section":"Sched. D, s. 4.2.5","quotes":["Failure to keep dog securely confined"]},{"url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/833%20Animal%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20%5BConsolidated%20March%202025%5D.pdf","title":"Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025 (PDF), District of Fort St James","section":"Sched. A, s. 1.2","quotes":["First impoundment in any calendar year:","$250.00**","$500.00**"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006 (office consolidation March 27, 2025, amended by Bylaw No. 1081, 2025)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/833%20Animal%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20%5BConsolidated%20March%202025%5D.pdf","title":"Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025 (PDF), District of Fort St James","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["“District of Fort St. James Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006”"]}],"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\nThe District's [Animal Regulation Bylaw 833](<https://www.fortstjames.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/833%20Animal%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20%5BConsolidated%20March%202025%5D.pdf>) defines a dangerous dog as one that:\n\n- has killed or injured a person, or killed or injured a companion or farm animal while running at large;\n- an Animal Control Officer has reasonable grounds to believe is likely to kill or seriously injure a person;\n- aggressively harasses or pursues a person or animal while running at large;\n- is kept or trained for dog fighting; or\n- is shown by SPCA, RCMP or other municipality records, or the owner's knowledge, to have killed, injured or aggressively harassed a person or animal.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Off the owner's premises, a dangerous dog must be leashed, muzzled and under an owner's care and control.\n- On the owner's premises it must be kept securely confined at all times, indoors or in an enclosure. Failing to keep a dog securely confined is a $25 fine.\n- A dangerous dog at large may be impounded and quarantined for seven days at the owner's cost. The impoundment fee is $250 the first time in a calendar year and $500 after that, plus $10 a day.\n- An Animal Control Officer may seize a dog on reasonable grounds and ask Provincial Court for a destruction order.\n- The bylaw requires no signs and sets no minimum handler age.\n- To report a dog, call the District office at 250-996-8233 or the Bylaw Enforcement Officer at 250-996-8670 ext. 3, use the online Comments and Complaints form, or visit the office. After hours, leave a message for the officer. For a vicious dog attack, call the RCMP at 250-996-8269.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/833%20Animal%20Regulation%20Bylaw%20%5BConsolidated%20March%202025%5D.pdf","title":"Animal Regulation Bylaw No. 833, 2006, office consolidation March 2025 (PDF), District of Fort St James","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.fortstjames.ca/services/protective-services/animal-control-conservation","title":"Animal Control and Conservation, District of Fort St James","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/fort-st-james/dangerous-dogs/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-james/dangerous-dogs.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-james/dangerous-dogs.json"}}