{"title":"Merritt rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs","question":"What are the rules for aggressive or dangerous dogs in Merritt?","slug":"dangerous-dogs","place":{"path":"ca/bc/merritt","name":"Merritt","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":"City of Merritt","url":"https://www.merritt.ca"},"short_answer":"Merritt's Animal Control Bylaw sets two classes. Both must be securely confined or on a leash of at most six feet in public; a dangerous dog is also always muzzled in public. 2026 licences cost $350 (aggressive) and $1,250 (dangerous).","aliases":["aggressive dog merritt","dangerous dog designation merritt","dog bite bylaw merritt","muzzle dog merritt"],"cost":"2026 licence: aggressive $350; dangerous $1,250. Impoundment: aggressive $550 first, $1,250 second and later; dangerous $1,250 first, $1,750 second and later.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"250-378-4224 ext. 216"},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Services","value":"bylaw@merritt.ca"},{"type":"online","label":"Report a Bylaw Infraction (category Dogs)","value":"https://www.merritt.ca/government/report-a-bylaw-infraction/"}],"documents":["For a dangerous dog licence, the licence application","Vet confirmation that the dog is sterilized and has a microchip or tattoo","Proof a City-approved trainer is retained for behavioural remediation"],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Control Bylaw 2241 (PDF)","url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Merritt dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"dog-leash-rules","title":"Merritt dog leash rules and off-leash areas","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/dog-leash-rules/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/logan-lake","name":"Logan Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lytton","name":"Lytton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lytton/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kamloops","name":"Kamloops","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/princeton","name":"Princeton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/ashcroft","name":"Ashcroft","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/dangerous-dogs/"},{"place":"ca/bc/peachland","name":"Peachland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/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 Bylaw Enforcement Officer decides and tells the owner in writing. Aggressive: unprovoked aggressive behaviour toward a person, cat or animal; or the officer has reasonable grounds to believe it is likely to cause injury; or it came from another place that called it aggressive. Dangerous: has killed or seriously injured a person, or an animal or cat off its owner's property; or the officer believes it is likely to kill or seriously injure a person.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018 (PDF), consolidated to Bylaw 2425, 2026, City of Merritt","section":"s. 3, 27, 33","quotes":["has, without provocation, displayed aggressive behaviour toward a person, Cat, or Animal","has killed or seriously injured a person","Where a Bylaw Enforcement Officer deems a Dog to be a Dangerous Dog, the Bylaw Enforcement Officer will advise the owner in writing","Where a Bylaw Enforcement Officer deems a Dog to be an Aggressive Dog, a Bylaw Enforcement Officer will advise the owner in writing"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"owner_rules":{"label":"Rules for owners","value":"Both: keep the dog securely confined indoors, or in a backyard or enclosure an officer finds enough to stop children entering and the dog escaping; on a leash of at most six feet held by a competent person in public. Aggressive: muzzle in off-leash areas. Dangerous: always muzzled in public, never in an off-leash area, warning sign at each entrance, and report if it is loose.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018 (PDF), consolidated to Bylaw 2425, 2026, City of Merritt","section":"s. 28, 35, 36, 38","quotes":["on a Leash that is a maximum of six (6) feet in length and held by a Competent Person","muzzled and on a Leash that is a maximum of six (6) feet in length","out of any Off-Leash Area","a sign containing the words","must promptly notify a Bylaw Enforcement Officer if the Dog is found to be At Large"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fee":{"label":"Licence fee","value":"Aggressive dog licence $350; dangerous dog licence $1,250 (2026).","short":"Dangerous $1,250; aggressive $350 (2026)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Fees-and-Charges-Amendments-as-at-December-2025-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2386 (PDF), Schedule M, City of Merritt","section":"Schedule M","quotes":["Aggressive Dog Licence Fee $350.00 $400.00 $450.00","Dangerous Dog Licence Fee $1,250.00 $1,500.00 $1,550.00"]},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/residents/dog-licences/","title":"Dog Licences, City of Merritt","section":"Pet licence fees 2026","quotes":["| Un-neutered or Un-spayed dog | $80 | Aggressive Dog * | $350 | Dangerous Dog *","| Aggressive Dog * | $350 | Dangerous Dog * | $1,250 | Lost tag replacement"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Use the \"Report a Bylaw Infraction\" form on merritt.ca (category Dogs), or call Bylaw Services at 250-378-4224 ext. 216. Name and address are required. For crimes or emergencies call the RCMP (911; 250-378-4262 non-emergency).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/government/report-a-bylaw-infraction/","title":"Report a Bylaw Infraction, City of Merritt","section":"Report a Bylaw Infraction","quotes":["Report a bylaw concern related to animal control","Your name, address, and details of your request are required.","CALL 911 for EMERGENCIES (or 250.378.4262 for non-emergencies)"]},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/contact/","title":"Contact, City of Merritt","section":"Directory","quotes":["Bylaw Services | Phone: | 250-378-4224 ext. 216"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"No bylaw notice amount is listed for the aggressive or dangerous dog rules (ss. 27 to 39). A dog at large is $100 by bylaw notice. In court the bylaw sets a penalty between $50 and $2,000, plus prosecution costs.","short":"No notice amount; up to $2,000 in court","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018 (PDF), consolidated to Bylaw 2425, 2026, City of Merritt","section":"s. 62","quotes":["will upon summary conviction be liable to a penalty of not less than $50.00 and more than $2,000.00, plus the costs of the prosecution"]},{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026 (PDF), City of Merritt","section":"Schedule A, s. 6","quotes":["Dog or other animal found at large 6 $100.00 $50.00 $125.00 No"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"City of Merritt Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018 (PDF), consolidated to Bylaw 2425, 2026, City of Merritt","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This Bylaw shall be cited as the “City of Merritt Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018”."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder the City of Merritt's [Animal Control Bylaw 2241](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf), a Bylaw Enforcement Officer decides whether a dog is aggressive or dangerous and tells the owner in writing. An **aggressive dog** has shown unprovoked aggressive behaviour toward a person, cat or animal, or the officer has reasonable grounds to believe it is likely to cause injury, or it came from another place that called it aggressive. A **dangerous dog** has killed or seriously injured a person, or an animal or cat off its owner's property, or the officer believes it is likely to kill or seriously injure a person.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. **Both classes:** keep the dog securely confined indoors, or in a backyard or enclosure an officer finds enough to stop children entering and the dog escaping. In public, keep it on a leash of at most six feet held by a competent person.\n2. **Aggressive:** muzzle the dog in off-leash areas, and tell an officer if it is found at large.\n3. **Dangerous:** the dog must always be muzzled in public and never taken to an off-leash area. Put a warning sign at each entrance, and report it if it is loose.\n4. **Dangerous dog licence:** give the application, a veterinarian's confirmation that the dog is sterilized and has a microchip or tattoo, proof a City-approved trainer is retained for behavioural remediation, and the fee.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Report a dog problem with the City's Report a Bylaw Infraction form (category Dogs) or call Bylaw Services at 250-378-4224 ext. 216. For crimes or emergencies call the RCMP: 911, or 250-378-4262 non-emergency.\n- If an aggressive dog attacks and injures, it must be surrendered on demand for impoundment while a dangerous-dog decision is made.\n- After one year with no further complaints and proof of a completed accredited training course, an owner may apply to remove an aggressive designation. The officer decides, and the owner may appeal to Council.\n- Moving, selling or transferring a dangerous dog must be reported within three business days.\n- No bylaw notice (ticket) amount is listed for these rules, so a charge goes to court: a penalty set in the bylaw of $50 to $2,000, plus prosecution costs. A dog at large is a $100 bylaw notice.","sources":[{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2241-Animal-Control-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2241, 2018 (PDF), consolidated to Bylaw 2425, 2026, City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/residents/dog-licences/","title":"Dog Licences, City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Fees-and-Charges-Amendments-as-at-December-2025-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2386 (PDF), Schedule M, City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/government/report-a-bylaw-infraction/","title":"Report a Bylaw Infraction, City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.merritt.ca/contact/","title":"Contact, City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026 (PDF), City of Merritt","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/dangerous-dogs/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/dangerous-dogs.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/dangerous-dogs.json"}}