---
title: Prince Rupert rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs
question: "Which dog breeds are restricted, and what are the rules for them?"
place: Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/prince-rupert
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Prince Rupert
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/dangerous-dogs/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/dangerous-dogs.json"
---

# Prince Rupert rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

**Question:** Which dog breeds are restricted, and what are the rules for them?

**Short answer:** Prince Rupert's Dog Control Bylaw 3250 restricts listed breeds, their mixes and look-alikes. Owners of restricted or vicious dogs pay a $200 licence ($250 after March 1), keep the dog leashed and muzzled in public, and post a warning sign.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Prince Rupert, https://www.princerupert.ca)  
**Cost:** Licence $200 on or before March 1, $250 after; if sterilized with a vet's certificate, $150 / $200. The warning sign is included.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Department, 250-624-6852
- Email: Bylaw Department, bylaw@princerupert.ca
- Online: File a bylaw complaint, https://www.princerupert.ca/bylaw

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** Restricted: listed breeds, mixes or look-alikes (a BC vet decides). Vicious: records or owner's knowledge show it killed or injured a person or pet, or without provocation acted aggressively toward or harassed a person. Dangerous: killed or seriously injured a person, or a domestic animal in public or on others' property, or an officer reasonably expects it to.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, s. 408.7, 408.8; Sched. D](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall include any dog of mixed breeding which includes, but is not limited to the following" … "Any dog which has the appearance and physical characteristics predominantly conforming to the standards for any of the above breeds" … "has killed or injured a person or pet" … "a Bylaw Officer or Peace Officer has reasonable grounds to believe is likely to kill or seriously injure a person" … "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 person responsible for the dog" … "according to the records of the Municipality, has killed or injured a person or pet"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Rules for owners:** Vicious or restricted dog: never in an off-leash area; muzzled and leashed in public; in the front yard only if leashed, muzzled and held by a competent person; warning sign visible from the street; back yard fenced at least 6 feet high, or a strong pen (leashed and muzzled when outside the pen).
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, s. 408.1-408.5](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "ensure that the dog is muzzled and leashed when in public places" … "unless the dog is properly leashed and muzzled and under the control of a competent person" … "a fence with a minimum height of six (6) feet" … "purchase from the City, warning signage"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Licence fee:** Vicious or restricted dog licence: $200 on or before March 1, $250 after. If sterilized (vet certificate): $150 / $200. Warning sign is included in the licence. (Sources differ: The City's Pet Licenses page lists only the after-March-1 amounts ($250, $200). Followed the bylaw. Impound fees (first/second/later) for vicious and restricted dogs are $250/$500/$1,000.)
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, Sched. B, s. 1.00](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Vicious Dogs $ 200.00 $ 250.00" … "Restricted Dogs – Sterilized with certification** $ 150.00 $ 200.00" … "Warning Signage – included in Restricted or Vicious Dog Licence"
  - Source: [Pet Licenses, Dog License Fees table](https://www.princerupert.ca/city-hall/bylaws-policies/animal-control/pet-licenses)
  - Official wording: "Vicious Dogs | $250 | Restricted Dogs | $250"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Contact the Bylaw Department: 250-624-6852, bylaw@princerupert.ca, or the City's online bylaw complaint form (choose Animal Control; for a loose dog give time, colour/breed and whether it acted aggressively). Animal welfare concerns: SPCA hotline 1-855-622-7722.
  - Source: [File a Bylaw Complaint](https://www.princerupert.ca/bylaw)
  - Official wording: "Phone: 250-624 6852 Email: bylaw@princerupert.ca" … "If this is an At-Large Dog Complaint, please note the Time of Sighting, Colour/Breed of Dog, and whether the dog was displaying aggressive behaviour."
  - Source: [Animal Control, Animal Control page](https://www.princerupert.ca/city-hall/bylaws-policies/animal-control)
  - Official wording: "please contact the SPCA Hotline: 1-855-622-7722"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** No separate ticket amount found for the restricted or vicious dog rules. Court fine under the Dog Control Bylaw: $1,000 to $10,000 per offence.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, s. 603](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000 and not less than $1,000"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008, s. 605](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited as the "DOG CONTROL BYLAW No. 3250, 2008""
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Dog Control Bylaw 3250](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf) has three groups. A **restricted** dog is one of the listed breeds (pit bull types, Staffordshire terriers, Cane Corso, Italian Mastiff, Presa Canario, Fila Brasileiro, Argentinean Dogo), a mix of them, or a look-alike, as decided by a BC veterinarian. A **vicious** dog is one that records or the owner's knowledge show killed or injured a person or pet, or acted aggressively toward or harassed a person without provocation. A **dangerous** dog has killed or seriously injured a person or a domestic animal in public or on others' property, or an officer reasonably expects it to. The Bylaw Officer decides.

## Good to know

- A vicious or restricted dog is never allowed in an off-leash area, and must be leashed and muzzled in public.
- It may be in the front yard only if leashed, muzzled and held by a competent person.
- A warning sign must be visible from the street.
- The back yard needs a fence at least 6 feet high, or a strong pen. Outside the pen the dog must be leashed and muzzled.
- A dangerous or vicious dog that is impounded can be reclaimed after a 21-day impounding period, unless the Bylaw Officer applies to Provincial Court for a destruction order for a dangerous dog.
- Licence fee: $200 on or before March 1 and $250 after; $150 and $200 if sterilized. The City's Pet Licenses page lists only the after-March-1 amounts, so confirm with the Bylaw Department.
- Impound fees for restricted and vicious dogs are $250, $500 and $1,000 (first, second and later times), per the City.
- No ticket amount was found for these rules. A court can fine $1,000 to $10,000 per offence.
- To report a dog, call 250-624-6852, email bylaw@princerupert.ca or use the City's online bylaw complaint form (choose Animal Control). For animal welfare concerns call the SPCA hotline at 1-855-622-7722.

## Official forms and pages

- [Pet Licenses page (fee table)](https://www.princerupert.ca/city-hall/bylaws-policies/animal-control/pet-licenses)
- [Dog Control Bylaw 3250 (PDF)](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Prince Rupert dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/dog-licence.md)
- [Prince Rupert dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Prince Rupert](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/how-many-pets.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Port Edward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Kitimat](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Stewart](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/stewart/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Smithers](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Dog Control Bylaw No. 3250, 2008 (PDF), City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/sites/7/files/2023-06/3250%20-%20%20Dog%20Control%20Bylaw%20%28VERSION%202.00%20-%20January%202008%29.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Pet Licenses, City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/city-hall/bylaws-policies/animal-control/pet-licenses) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Animal Control, City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/city-hall/bylaws-policies/animal-control) (read 2026-11-05)
- [File a Bylaw Complaint, City of Prince Rupert](https://www.princerupert.ca/bylaw) (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 Prince Rupert. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/dangerous-dogs/_