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

# Kimberley rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

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

**Short answer:** In the City of Kimberley, an Animal Control Officer, Bylaw Enforcement Officer or RCMP member can designate a dog as vicious. The owner must then muzzle and leash it off the property, confine it securely, sterilize it, prove rabies vaccination and post warning signs. The licence is $150.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Kimberley, https://www.kimberley.ca)  
**Cost:** Vicious dog licence $150. Municipal tickets for breaking the rules run from $100 to $200 for a first offence and $200 to $400 for later ones, depending on the rule.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement Officer, 250-427-9663
- Email: Bylaw Enforcement Officer, bylaw@kimberley.ca

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** A "vicious dog" is one an Animal Control Officer, Bylaw Enforcement Officer or RCMP member designates on evidence it killed or seriously injured, attacked or aggressively pursued without provocation, was trained for dog fighting, or is likely to kill or seriously injure. "Dangerous dog" has its Community Charter s. 49 meaning.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2544, 2016, City of Kimberley (consolidated for convenience, March 10, 2017), ss. 4(j), 4(x), 5(d)](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/41220)
  - Official wording: "Dangerous dog has the same meaning as set out in s.49 of the Community Charter;" … "Vicious dog means a dog that has been designated as a vicious dog by an animal control" … "A dog which has been trained for, or is owned for, the purpose of dog fighting;" … "A dog which has bitten, attacked or aggressively pursued a person or animal"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Rules for owners:** Off the property: on leash, muzzled, handler in charge; in a vehicle: muzzled and secured. At home: indoors or in a rear yard with a 1.8 m solid fence and self-closing, latching gates. Sterilize, prove rabies vaccination, wear licence, post warning signs. Dangerous dogs follow the same rules unless a Provincial Court order says otherwise.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2544, 2016, City of Kimberley (consolidated for convenience, March 10, 2017), ss. 23, 24, 38, 39, 43, 45](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/41220)
  - Official wording: "when off the property of the owner , the dog is on leash, muzzled and under the" … "enclosed with a solid fence that is 1.8 meters in height" … "ensure the vicious dog is sterilized" … "have posted at all entrances or gates into the property and dwelling at which the vicious" … "a person responsible for a dangerous dog must comply with the provisions of this Bylaw that apply to a vicious dog." … "Except as directed by an order of the Provincial Court, a person responsible for a dangerous dog must comply with the provisions of this Bylaw that apply to a vicious dog."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Licence fee:** $150 for a vicious dog licence.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2544, 2016, City of Kimberley (consolidated for convenience, March 10, 2017), Schedule A, item 3](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/41220)
  - Official wording: "$57.00 for the year 2018; $57.50 for the year 2019. 3. Vicious Dog $150.00 4. License Transfer" … "$57.50 for the year 2019. 3. Vicious Dog $150.00 4. License Transfer a) to new owner $5.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Report to the Bylaw Enforcement Officer, 250-427-9663, bylaw@kimberley.ca. Complaints (except urgent public health or safety risks) must be in writing with your name, address and phone number, and the nature and exact location of the problem. Anonymous complaints are not investigated.
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement, How to make a Complaint](https://www.kimberley.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement)
  - Official wording: "All bylaw enforcement complaints, with the exception of those that identify urgent contraventions that pose a potential risk to public health and/or safety, must be in writing" … "Anonymous complaints will not be investigated." … "Phone: 250-427-9663" … "E-mail: bylaw@kimberley.ca"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket, first / later offence: no muzzle, unsecured, unrestrained, or at large (vicious dog) $200 / $400; unlicensed vicious dog $150 / $300; animal attacking a person or animal, no sterilization or vaccination, or no warning sign $100 / $200.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2540, 2016, Schedule 2](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/37089)
  - Official wording: "Vicious dog without muzzle 23 200 400" … "Vicious dog unsecured 24 200 400" … "Unrestrained vicious dog 38(a), (b), (c), 200 400" … "Unlicenced vicious dog 43(a) 150 300" … "Vicious dog at large 43(b) 200 400" … "Fail to post notification of vicious dog 43(d) 100 200" … "Animal attacking person or other animal 22 100 200"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** City of Kimberley Animal Control Bylaw No. 2544, 2016
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2544, 2016, City of Kimberley (consolidated for convenience, March 10, 2017), s. 1](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/41220)
  - Official wording: "City of Kimberley Animal Control Bylaw No. 2544, 2016"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2544, 2016](<https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/41220>), a dog is "vicious" when an Animal Control Officer, Bylaw Enforcement Officer or RCMP member designates it on evidence that it killed or seriously injured, attacked or aggressively pursued without provocation, was trained for dog fighting, or is likely to kill or seriously injure. "Dangerous dog" has its Community Charter section 49 meaning.

## Steps

1. Report an aggressive dog to the Bylaw Enforcement Officer at 250-427-9663 or bylaw@kimberley.ca. Except for urgent public health or safety risks, complaints must be in writing with your name, address and phone number, and the nature and exact location of the problem. Anonymous complaints are not investigated.
2. If you own a dog designated vicious, follow the rules below.

## Good to know

- Off the property: on a leash, muzzled, with a handler in charge. In a vehicle: muzzled and secured.
- At home: indoors, or in a rear yard with a 1.8 m solid fence and self-closing, latching gates.
- Sterilize the dog, prove rabies vaccination, keep a licence on the dog and post warning signs. The vicious dog licence is $150.
- Give the City at least 7 days' notice before a vicious dog changes address or owner.
- Dangerous dogs follow the same rules, except as directed by a Provincial Court order.
- Owners can ask the Animal Control Officer to reconsider within 14 days of the notice, then ask Council within 14 days of the officer's decision. Council's decision is final.
- Municipal tickets, first or later offence: no muzzle, unsecured, unrestrained or at large $200 or $400; unlicensed vicious dog $150 or $300; attacking a person or animal, no sterilization or vaccination, or no warning sign $100 or $200; failing to notify of an address or owner change $50 or $100.
- For aggressive deer or bears, call Conservation at 1-877-952-7277. For cruelty, call the SPCA at 1-855-622-7722.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2544, 2016 (PDF)](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/41220)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, City of Kimberley](https://www.kimberley.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Cranbrook](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Canal Flats](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Fernie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Creston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Kaslo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Sparwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sparwood/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2544, 2016 (PDF), City of Kimberley (consolidated for convenience, March 10, 2017)](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/41220) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2540, 2016 (PDF), City of Kimberley](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/37089) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, City of Kimberley](https://www.kimberley.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control, City of Kimberley](https://www.kimberley.ca/services/bylaws/animal-control) (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 Kimberley. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/dangerous-dogs/_