Lake Cowichan rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

What are the rules for aggressive or dangerous dogs in Lake Cowichan?

Lake Cowichan, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

How it works

The Animal Control Bylaw No. 1019-2019 (s. 9) calls an aggressive dog a "vicious dog". A dog is vicious if it has attacked, bitten or injured a person, or shown a tendency to; has bitten, killed or injured a domestic animal; or has aggressively pursued or harassed a person or domestic animal. The Animal Control Officer decides this, in their opinion, after considering the facts, and tells the owner in writing. Only the Court can find the declaration incorrect.

Steps

1. To report a dog, call Town Hall at 250-749-6681 and leave your name, phone number and a brief description.
2. For a non-urgent issue, email bylaw@lakecowichan.ca.

Good to know

• At home, a vicious dog must be kept securely confined indoors or in an enclosed pen that keeps young children out and the dog in.
• Off the owner's premises, in a street or public place, it must be muzzled.
• Each failure is a $150 ticket.
• The Provincial Court may order a dangerous dog destroyed (s. 9.6).
• No separate licence fee for a vicious dog was found in the bylaw's fee schedule.