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

# Parksville rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

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

**Short answer:** In the City of Parksville a "dangerous or aggressive dog" must be muzzled outside the owner's premises and kept securely confined at home. Its licence costs $200 a year. Pit bull types and their crosses are in this class, as is any dog that has bitten without provocation.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Parksville, https://www.parksville.ca)  
**Cost:** Licence $200 a year. Bylaw notice $500 for not muzzling and $500 for not confining ($375 each if paid within 14 days); no compliance agreement.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw compliance, 250-954-4650
- Email: Bylaw compliance, bylaw@parksville.ca
- In person: Bylaw compliance, City Hall, 100 Jensen Avenue East, Parksville, BC (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** The bylaw defines a "dangerous or aggressive dog" as one with a known tendency to attack humans or other domestic animals without provocation, one that has bitten a person or domestic animal without provocation, or a Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier or a mix including those breeds.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1524, 2016 (consolidated to 1524.1), s. 1, "Dangerous or Aggressive Dog"](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/21814)
  - Official wording: "any dog with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack without" … "provocation other domestic animals or humans; or" … "any dog which has bitten another domestic animal or human without provocation; or" … "a Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, Pit Bull, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Rules for owners:** Outside the owner's premises the dog must be muzzled. On the owner's premises it must always be kept securely confined indoors or in an enclosed pen able to keep out young children and keep the dog in. It may not be owned unless confined so it cannot endanger anyone.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1524, 2016 (consolidated to 1524.1), s. 25 and s. 29](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/21814)
  - Official wording: "unless the dog is muzzled to prevent it from biting another animal or human;" … "dog securely confined either indoors or in an enclosed pen or other structure capable" … "of preventing the entry of young children and adequately constructed to prevent the" … "It shall be unlawful to own any diseased, dangerous or aggressive dog unless such dog is kept"
  - Source: [Dogs in Parks, Dogs in Parks page](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=444)
  - Official wording: "Dogs which are deemed dangerous or aggressive must be muzzled at all times and under the close supervision of their owner."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Licence fee:** $200 a year licence fee for a dangerous or aggressive dog.
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1515, 2015, Schedule C, Schedule C, item 1(c)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1021/)
  - Official wording: "c) Dangerous or aggressive dog" … "$200.00 per dog*"
  - Source: [Dog Licences, Dog Licences page](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=96)
  - Official wording: "Dangerous or aggressive dog"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Contact Bylaw Compliance: bylaw@parksville.ca, 250 954-4650, in person at 100 Jensen Avenue East (8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday), or mail PO Box 1390. Complaint form needed; anonymous complaints are not investigated. Bylaw officers handle unprovoked dog attacks.
  - Source: [Bylaw Compliance FAQs](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=717)
  - Official wording: "Email bylaw@parksville.ca" … "Phone 250 954-4650" … "Animal control - unprovoked dog attacks, pickup of stray dogs, barking dog complaints." … "Bylaw services cannot investigate anonymous complaints."
  - Source: [Bylaws and Compliance, Bylaws and Compliance page](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=456)
  - Official wording: "In person at the City of Parksville, 100 Jensen Avenue East (8 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $500 for a dangerous or aggressive dog not muzzled (s. 25) and $500 for one not confined (s. 25(a)); each $375 if paid within 14 days. Compliance agreement not available.
  - Source: [Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1486, Schedule A, Schedule A, Animal Control Bylaw ss. 25, 25(a)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2814)
  - Official wording: "Unmuzzled Dangerous or Aggressive" … "Dangerous or Aggressive Dog Not" … "25(a) $500.00 $375.00 $500.00 NO"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** City of Parksville Animal Control Bylaw, 2016, No. 1524
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1524, 2016 (consolidated to 1524.1), s. 37](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/21814)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as "City of Parksville Animal Control Bylaw, 2016,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the City's [Animal Control Bylaw 1524](<https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/21814>), a "dangerous or aggressive dog" is one with a known tendency to attack people or other domestic animals without provocation, one that has bitten a person or domestic animal without provocation, or a Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier or a mix including those breeds. The bylaw does not say who decides or describe a declaration process.

## Steps

1. Muzzle the dog whenever it is outside your premises.
2. At home, keep it securely confined indoors or in an enclosed pen that keeps young children out and the dog in.
3. Buy the $200 annual licence at City Hall or the BC SPCA.
4. To report a bite or an aggressive dog, contact Bylaw Compliance: bylaw@parksville.ca, 250-954-4650, in person at 100 Jensen Avenue East, or by mail to PO Box 1390.

## Good to know

- A complaint form with your name is needed. Anonymous complaints are not investigated.
- The ticket is a $500 bylaw notice for a dog that is not muzzled and another $500 for one that is not confined ($375 each if paid within 14 days).
- A court may order a convicted owner's dangerous dog humanely euthanized.
- Impounding a dangerous or aggressive dog costs $200 each time.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw 1524, 2016 (PDF)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/21814)
- [Dog Licences, City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=96)
- [Bylaws and Compliance, City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=456)

## Related questions

- [Parksville dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/dog-licence.md)
- [Parksville dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/dog-leash-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Ladysmith](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 1524, 2016 (consolidated to 1524.1)](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/21814) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1515, 2015, Schedule C](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/1021/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Dog Licences, City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=96) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaws and Compliance, City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=456) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Compliance FAQs, City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=717) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1486, Schedule A](https://parksville.civicweb.net/document/2814) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Dogs in Parks, City of Parksville](https://www.parksville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=444) (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 Parksville. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/dangerous-dogs/_