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

# Fort St. John rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

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

**Short answer:** Fort St. John's Animal Control Bylaw has two special categories: aggressive dogs and biting dogs. A bylaw officer serves the owner a written notice. The owner then needs a $100 yearly licence, and rules on confinement and leashing apply. The fine for most breaches is $400.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Fort St. John, https://www.fortstjohn.ca)  
**Cost:** $100 a year for a biting or aggressive dog licence (a regular dog licence is $20), valid 365 days from purchase.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 250-787-8150 (Or dial 3-1-1; press 4 for after-hours emergencies. 10631 100 Street.)

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** An aggressive dog is one that is a "dangerous dog" under s. 49 of the Community Charter or has (without a mitigating factor) pursued or harassed a person, cat or animal, shown aggression such as growling, snarling or lunging, shown potential to attack or injure, or been a continuing threat. A biting dog has bitten a person, animal or cat. A Bylaw Enforcement Officer who has reason to believe this serves a written notice on the owner; the owner may appeal to Council within 30 days.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to Bylaw 2584, 2023), ss. 3, 36, 42](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "“AGGRESSIVE DOG” means a Dog that is a “dangerous dog” as defined under section 49 of" … "displayed aggressive behaviour including, but not limited to, growling, snarling, lunging" … "“BITING DOG” means a Dog that has, in the absence of a Mitigating Factor, bitten a person" … "may issue and serve upon the Owner a notice in letter form" … "may appeal the findings of the Bylaw Enforcement Officer to Council within thirty days of service of the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Rules for owners:** Aggressive dog: licence, microchip, 'Dog on Premises' sign, confinement at home, a 2 m non-retractable leash held by a competent person over 16 off the property, and 48-hour notice of a move or death. Biting dog: s. 34(b)-(f) only, plus a biting dog licence, muzzle off the property and secure enclosure at home.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to Bylaw 2584, 2023), ss. 34-35](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "have a Microchip implanted in the Dog and provide proof of implantation" … "post signage on the Owner’s property indicating Dog on Premises" … "non-retractable leash no more than two metres" … "Competent Person over the age of sixteen years" … "notify the Bylaw Enforcement Officer within forty-eight hours" … "muzzle the Biting Dog when the Biting Dog is off the Owner’s property" … "confine the Biting Dog in a Secure Enclosure when the Biting Dog is on the Owner’s property" … "34(b)-(f) of this Bylaw that apply to an Owner of an Aggressive Dog" … "notify the Bylaw Enforcement Officer within forty-eight hours of:" … "confine the Biting Dog in a Secure Enclosure when the Biting Dog is on the Owner’s"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Licence fee:** $100 a year for a biting or aggressive dog licence (a regular dog licence is $20). The licence is valid 365 days from purchase.
  - Source: [Animal Control, License Fees](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-services/animal-control)
  - Official wording: "$100 for each biting or aggressive dog licence"
  - Source: [Animal Control brochure (revised January 2024), Schedule of Fees](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-brochure)
  - Official wording: "Aggressive and Biting Dog Tag" … "$100"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Report an aggressive dog or a dog bite to City Bylaw Services at 250-787-8150 or 3-1-1 (press 4 for after-hours emergencies), at 10631 100 Street. Cruelty to animals goes to the North Peace SPCA.
  - Source: [Animal Control, Report a Concern](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-services/animal-control)
  - Official wording: "Report an animal at large, barking dog, aggressive dog, a dog bite, or a lost dog" … "250-787-8150 or dial 3-1-1 (press 4 for After Hours Emergencies)"
  - Source: [Animal Control brochure (revised January 2024), Reporting a concern](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-brochure)
  - Official wording: "1131 by City of Fort St. John 60 by SPCA % bylaw@fortstjohn.ca Report a Problem (City app or website) owners"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $400 ($350 if paid within 14 days; $450 on days 31–60) for failing to licence, microchip, sign, confine, leash or muzzle an aggressive or biting dog, or failing to prevent an attack. No compliance agreement is available.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to Bylaw 2584, 2023), Schedule C](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "Fail to license aggressive dog" … "Fail to muzzle biting dog" … "Fail to prevent attack" … "$400.00" … "$350.00" … "$450.00"
  - Source: [Animal Control brochure (revised January 2024), Aggressive and Biting Dogs](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-brochure)
  - Official wording: "Failure to muzzle a biting dog" … "$400"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to include Bylaw 2584, 2023), Parts Five to Eight
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to Bylaw 2584, 2023), s. 1](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as “Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021”."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Animal Control Bylaw](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw), an aggressive dog is one that is a "dangerous dog" under s. 49 of the Community Charter, or has, without a mitigating factor, pursued or harassed a person, cat or animal, shown aggression such as growling, snarling or lunging, shown potential to attack or injure, or been a continuing threat. A biting dog has bitten a person, animal or cat. A Bylaw Enforcement Officer who has reason to believe a dog fits serves the owner a written notice.

## Owner rules

1. Aggressive dog: a $100 licence, a microchip, a "Dog on Premises" sign, confinement at home, and a non-retractable leash of 2 metres or less held by a competent person over 16 off the property. Tell the City within 48 hours if the dog moves or dies.
2. Biting dog: a biting dog licence, a muzzle off the property and a secure enclosure at home, plus the bylaw's s. 34(b) to (f) rules.
3. A secure enclosure is at least 2 metres high with a concrete, stone or asphalt floor, wire or steel mesh sides and roof, and a lock.

## Good to know

- You may appeal the notice to Council within 30 days.
- After at least a year without further complaints and with a force-free training course, the owner of an aggressive dog may apply for relief (s. 40).
- A bylaw notice for failing to licence, microchip, sign, confine, leash or muzzle such a dog, or to prevent an attack, is $400 ($350 if paid within 14 days; $450 on days 31–60). No compliance agreement is available.
- Report an aggressive dog or bite to Bylaw Services at 250-787-8150 or 3-1-1. Cruelty to animals goes to the North Peace SPCA.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw 2556, 2021 (consolidated PDF)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw)
- [Animal Control page, City of Fort St. John](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-services/animal-control)

## Related questions

- [Fort St. John dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/dog-licence.md)
- [Fort St. John dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/dog-leash-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Dawson Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dawson-creek/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Pouce Coupe](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pouce-coupe/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Chetwynd](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chetwynd/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Tumbler Ridge](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tumbler-ridge/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Mackenzie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Prince George](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2556, 2021 (consolidated to Bylaw 2584, 2023) (PDF)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-bylaw) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control, City of Fort St. John](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/municipal-services/bylaw-services/animal-control) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control brochure (revised January 2024) (PDF)](https://www.fortstjohn.ca/media/file/animal-control-brochure) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Fort St. John. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/dangerous-dogs/_