---
title: Lantzville rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs
question: "What are the rules for aggressive or dangerous dogs?"
place: Lantzville, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/lantzville
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Lantzville
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/dangerous-dogs/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/dangerous-dogs.json"
---

# Lantzville rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

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

**Short answer:** In Lantzville, a dangerous dog must not be at large. In public it must be leashed, held by a competent person and muzzled. At home it must be kept indoors or in an enclosed pen. Report a dog to Coastal Animal Control Services at 1.888.754.1397.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Lantzville, https://www.lantzville.ca)  
**Cost:** Municipal tickets of $500 or $200. No dangerous-dog licence fee found. Impound fee $500 (first time).  
**How long:** Not stated.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Animal Control (Coastal Animal Control Services, by contract), 1.888.754.1397
- Email: Animal Control, cacs@telus.net

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** A dog that has killed or seriously injured a person; or has killed or seriously injured a domestic animal in a public place or on private property other than the property of the person responsible for the dog; or that an Animal Control Officer has reasonable grounds to believe is likely to kill or seriously injure a person.
  - Source: [Regional District of Nanaimo Animal Control Regulatory Bylaw No. 1066, 1996, s. 2 ("Dangerous Dog")](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID539atID5170.pdf)
  - Official wording: "has killed or seriously injured a person;" … "has killed or seriously injured a domestic animal, while in a" … "an Animal Control Officer has reasonable grounds to believe is likely to kill or seriously injure a person"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Rules for owners:** Must not let the dog be at large. In a public place it must be firmly held on a leash by a competent person and muzzled. On private land, only with the owner or occupier's consent, and likewise leashed, held and muzzled. At home it must be kept indoors or in an enclosed pen or enclosure.
  - Source: [Regional District of Nanaimo Animal Control Regulatory Bylaw No. 1066, 1996, s. 4(3), 4(4)](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID539atID5170.pdf)
  - Official wording: "to be in a public place unless the dog is:" … "firmly held by a person competent to restrain the dangerous dog" … "muzzled by a properly fitted humane muzzling device." … "keep the dog securely confined either indoors or in an enclosed pen or enclosure"
  - Source: [Regional District of Nanaimo Animal Control Regulatory Bylaw No. 1066, 1996, s. 2 ("Enclosure")](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID539atID5170.pdf)
  - Official wording: "means a fence or structure of at least six (6) feet in height" … "suitable to confine a dangerous dog"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Licence fee:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **How to report:** Animal control is provided by Coastal Animal Control Services under contract: telephone 1.888.754.1397, email cacs@telus.net. (Barking-noise complaints go to Bylaw Enforcement Services instead.)
  - Source: [Contact information, Outside agencies contact information](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=384)
  - Official wording: "Animal Control Services (Service provided by Coastal Animal Control Services by Contract)" … "Telephone: 1.888.754.1397" … "Email: cacs@telus.net"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Municipal tickets: $500 for a dangerous dog at large; $500 for an uncontrolled dangerous dog in a public place; $200 for an uncontrolled dangerous dog on private property. A conviction can carry a fine of up to $2,000.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 100, Amendment Bylaw No. 378, 2024, Appendix 7](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID483atID6898.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dangerous dog at large 4. (3) (a) $500.00" … "Uncontrolled dangerous dog, public place 4. (3) (b) $500.00" … "Uncontrolled dangerous dog, private property 4. (4) $200.00"
  - Source: [Regional District of Nanaimo Animal Control Regulatory Bylaw No. 1066, 1996, s. 6(2)](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID539atID5170.pdf)
  - Official wording: "liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars ($2,000.00)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Regional District of Nanaimo Animal Control Regulatory Bylaw No. 1066, 1996
  - Source: [Regional District of Nanaimo Animal Control Regulatory Bylaw No. 1066, 1996, s. 1](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID539atID5170.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as "Animal Control Regulatory Bylaw No. 1066, 1996""
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Lantzville follows the Regional District of Nanaimo's [Animal Control Regulatory Bylaw No. 1066](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID539atID5170.pdf). A dog is "dangerous" if it has killed or seriously injured a person, or has killed or seriously injured a domestic animal in a public place or on private property other than its owner's. It is also dangerous if an Animal Control Officer has reasonable grounds to believe it is likely to kill or seriously injure a person.

## Rules for owners

- Never let the dog be at large.
- In a public place, it must be firmly held on a leash by a competent person and muzzled.
- On private land, only with the owner or occupier's consent, and likewise leashed, held and muzzled.
- At home, keep it indoors or in an enclosed pen or enclosure.

## Steps

1. For a dog that is a danger right now, call 911.
2. Otherwise call Coastal Animal Control Services at 1.888.754.1397 or email cacs@telus.net.

## Good to know

- Municipal tickets: $500 for a dangerous dog at large, $500 for an uncontrolled dangerous dog in a public place, and $200 for one uncontrolled on private property. A conviction can carry a fine of up to $2,000.
- Impound fee for a dangerous dog: $500 for the first impounding, $1,000 for a second or later within six months, plus $11 a day.
- Barking complaints go to Bylaw Enforcement Services, not Animal Control.

## Official forms and pages

- [RDN Animal Control Regulatory Bylaw No. 1066, 1996 (PDF)](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID539atID5170.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Lantzville dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/how-many-pets.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Ladysmith](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Regional District of Nanaimo Animal Control Regulatory Bylaw No. 1066, 1996 (PDF)](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID539atID5170.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 100, Amendment Bylaw No. 378, 2024 (PDF)](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms/wpattachments/wpID483atID6898.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact information, District of Lantzville](https://www.lantzville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=384) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Lantzville. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/dangerous-dogs/_