--- title: Port Edward rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs question: "What are the rules for aggressive or dangerous dogs?" place: Port Edward, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/port-edward category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: District of Port Edward sources_read: 2026-11-08 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/dangerous-dogs/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/dangerous-dogs.json" --- # Port Edward rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs **Question:** What are the rules for aggressive or dangerous dogs? **Short answer:** In Port Edward, the Animal Control Bylaw defines "dangerous" and "vicious" dogs. A vicious dog must be muzzled in public and kept indoors or in a secure pen at home. Report a dog with the District's online complaint form. **Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Port Edward, https://www.portedward.ca) **Cost:** No separate licence fee for dangerous or vicious dogs. Impoundment of a vicious dog is $200 plus $10 for each additional 24 hours (Schedule B). **How long:** An impounded dangerous or vicious dog may be reclaimed after 21 days (s. 29.1). **Where:** - Online: Resident Complaint Form (choose type "Dog"), https://www.portedward.ca/web-forms/resident-complaint-form - Phone: District of Port Edward office (Municipal Hall, 770 Pacific Ave), 250-628-3667 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding public holidays) ## Key facts - **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** A 'dangerous dog' has killed or seriously injured a person, or a domestic animal in a public place or on private property other than the owner's, or a Bylaw or Peace Officer has reasonable grounds to believe it is likely to kill or seriously injure a person. A 'vicious dog' has a record of killing, injuring or aggressive pursuit or harassment without provocation. - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 519, 2011, s. 1](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_other/519Animalcontrol.pdf) - Official wording: "has killed or seriously injured a person" … "has reasonable grounds to believe are" … "Vicious Dog – means a dog that:" … "has killed or seriously injured a domestic animal, while in a public place" … "or while on private property, other than property owned or occupied by the" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Rules for owners:** Vicious dog: must be muzzled on a highway, in a public place or anywhere not controlled by the owner; at home it must be kept indoors or in an enclosed pen that keeps young children out and the dog in. - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 519, 2011, s. 10, s. 11](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_other/519Animalcontrol.pdf) - Official wording: "unless the dog is muzzled to prevent it from biting another animal or human" … "securely confined either indoors or in an enclosed pen or other structure capable of preventing the entry of young children" - 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:** Submit the District's online Resident Complaint Form, choosing the complaint type 'Dog' and describing the dog. - Source: [Resident Complaint Form](https://www.portedward.ca/web-forms/resident-complaint-form) - Official wording: "Type / Nature of complaint?*:" … "Description of Dog, if applicable:" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Fine:** None set. Port Edward sets no ticket amount for dog offences; only a court fine applies. - **Bylaw:** District of Port Edward Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 519, 2011 - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 519, 2011, s. 39](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_other/519Animalcontrol.pdf) - Official wording: "Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 519, 2011" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 ## How it works The District's [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 519, 2011]() defines two kinds of dog. A "dangerous dog" has killed or seriously injured a person, or a domestic animal in a public place or on private property other than the owner's, or a Bylaw or Peace Officer has reasonable grounds to believe it is likely to kill or seriously injure a person. A "vicious dog" has a record of killing, injuring or aggressive pursuit or harassment without provocation. Bylaw and peace officers act on these definitions. The bylaw sets no formal declaration or appeal process. ## Steps 1. To report a dog, submit the District's [Resident Complaint Form]() and choose the type "Dog". Describe the dog. 2. The form says your name can be kept confidential until Court if necessary. 3. For an injury or emergency, call 911. The District pages give no other number, and the form page lists the District office at 250-628-3667. ## Good to know - A vicious dog must be muzzled on a highway, in a public place or anywhere not controlled by the owner. At home it must be kept indoors or in an enclosed pen that keeps young children out and the dog in. - The bylaw sets no separate owner rules for a "dangerous dog". - An impounded dangerous or vicious dog may be reclaimed after 21 days (s. 29.1). A dangerous dog that is not reclaimed may be destroyed. - Schedule C lists "restricted dogs" (pit bull types, Cane Corso and others), but the bylaw text sets no rule specific to them. - There is no ticket amount. The bylaw sets a court fine of $50 to $10,000 for any offence. ## Official forms and pages - [Resident Complaint Form, District of Port Edward](https://www.portedward.ca/web-forms/resident-complaint-form) - [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 519, 2011 (PDF)](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_other/519Animalcontrol.pdf) ## Related questions - [Port Edward dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/dog-licence.md) - [Port Edward dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/dog-leash-rules.md) - [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Port Edward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/how-many-pets.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md) - [Prince Rupert](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/dangerous-dogs.md) - [Kitimat](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/dangerous-dogs.md) - [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/dangerous-dogs.md) - [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/dangerous-dogs.md) - [Stewart](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/stewart/dangerous-dogs.md) - [Smithers](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dangerous-dogs.md) ## Sources - [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 519, 2011 (PDF)](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_other/519Animalcontrol.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Resident Complaint Form, District of Port Edward](https://www.portedward.ca/web-forms/resident-complaint-form) (read 2026-11-08) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Port Edward. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/dangerous-dogs/_