Osoyoos rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

What are the rules for aggressive or dangerous dogs in Osoyoos?

Osoyoos, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-06

How it works

Under the Town of Osoyoos's Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 1393, the Animal Control Officer designates a dog aggressive (aggressive behaviour or minor injury, without provocation) or vicious (repeated minor injury, serious injury, or likely to injure) and sends the owner written notice. A dangerous dog under Community Charter section 49 is one that has killed or seriously injured a person or animal, or is likely to seriously injure a person.

The owner of a vicious dog has 14 days from the notice to make written representations. The Town may uphold the designation, rescind it or change it to aggressive. An aggressive dog's owner may apply after one year to remove the designation if there were no further incidents and a training course was completed. A dog designated aggressive twice, or that shows aggression again, is deemed vicious.

Owner rules

• In public: muzzled and on a leash of no more than 1.2 m, not retractable. Never at large, and never in off-leash areas.
• Permanent ID and a photo given to the Town; a special licence.
• A vicious dog also needs warning signs at every entrance and secure confinement, indoors or in a locked enclosure inside locked fencing. An enclosure is at least 2 m in height, width and length.
• Tell the officer within 7 days if the dog dies, moves or changes owner, and tell any new owner of the designation.

Steps to report a dog

1. Email bylaw@osoyoos.ca or call Town Hall at 250-495-6515.
2. Give your name, address, phone number and your connection to the issue.
3. In an emergency, call 911. The RCMP non-emergency line is 250-495-7236.

Good to know

• Bylaw notice fines: aggressive dog not muzzled or leashed $250 first offence, $500 after; dangerous dog not confined $500; no warning sign $100; dog attack or chase $500. Municipal ticket fines: aggressive $250 rising to $1,000; dangerous dog not muzzled or leashed $500 to $1,000; attack or chase $1,000. Both schedules still cite the repealed Bylaw 1316.
• A dog owner involved in a bite or attack must give contact details to the other party or report to the Animal Control Officer.