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

# Rossland rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

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

**Short answer:** In the City of Rossland, an Animal Control Officer can designate a dog Aggressive or Vicious under the Animal Control Bylaw. That brings leash, microchip and licence rules, and for a Vicious Dog a muzzle, warning signs and locked confinement. Report any bite to the officer within 72 hours.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Rossland, https://rossland.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notices from $50 to $250 if paid in 1 to 14 days, and $100 to $500 after that, depending on the offence. No licence fee for an Aggressive or Vicious Dog is stated.  
**Where:**
- Phone: City Hall (Animal Control Officer / Bylaw Enforcement Officer), 250-362-7396

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** An Animal Control Officer who believes a dog is an Aggressive Dog or Vicious Dog may designate it and must send the owner a letter. An Aggressive Dog is one that, without provocation, has shown aggressive behaviour or caused a minor injury to a person or domestic animal. A Vicious Dog has caused a minor injury more than once, or a serious injury, or is likely to, or is a Dangerous Dog. The owner has 14 days to ask for reconsideration (or to make written representations for a Vicious designation).
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, s. 3 definitions](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/51764)
  - Official wording: ""Aggressive Dog" means a Dog that without provocation and in the absence of a mitigating factor:" … ""Vicious Dog" means a Dog that, without provocation and in the absence of a mitigating factor:" … "has caused a serious injury to a Person or Domestic Animal;"
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, s. 9.1-9.3](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/51764)
  - Official wording: "the Animal Control Officer may designate the dog an Aggressive Dog or Vicious Dog and shall deliver a" … "may, within fourteen (14) days of receiving the letter, request the Animal Control Officer or designate to reconsider the designation."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Rules for owners:** Aggressive Dog: never at large; in public, on a collar or harness and leash no longer than 1.2 m (not retractable); microchip within 14 days of notice; photo supplied to the City; Aggressive Dog licence; report a move, death or change of owner within 2 business days; tell any new owner of the designation. Vicious Dog: all of that except as modified, plus muzzle in public, warning signs at all entrances, and keep it indoors or in a locked Enclosure (at least 2 m high, wide and long) inside a locked, fenced yard. No minimum handler age is stated.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, s. 9.4](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/51764)
  - Official wording: "The Owner of an Aggressive Dog must:" … "length of 1.2 metres from Owner to Dog" … "must not include a retractable style leash" … "ensure the Dog has Permanent identification within fourteen days of receiving notice of the" … "have the Aggressive Dog photographed and the photo provided to the City for identification"
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, s. 9.7](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/51764)
  - Official wording: "Muzzle the Dog in a manner as to prevent it from being able to" … "post a clearly visible sign at all points of entry onto any premises where the Dog is being kept," … "confined indoors or confined outdoors in an Enclosure located within securely fenced"
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, s. 3 "Enclosure"](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/51764)
  - Official wording: "a structure at least two metres in height, width and length"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Licence fee:** None set. Rossland's bylaw states no separate licence fee for these dogs, and its fee schedule lists none.
- **How to report:** The owner must report a dog bite or injury to the Animal Control Officer within 72 hours. Anyone else can complain to City Hall, (250) 362-7396, in person, by telephone or email, in writing or through the Report a Problem form. Anonymous complaints are not investigated.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, s. 14.1](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/51764)
  - Official wording: "The Owner of a Dog shall not leave the scene of a Dog Bite or incident in which an injury to a Person or" … "and contact information, within 72 hours."
  - Source: [Noise and Nuisances, How to make a Complaint](https://rossland.ca/bylaw-enforcement/noise-and-nuisances/)
  - Official wording: "must be in writing (standard mail, email, fax or hand delivered)" … "Anonymous complaints will not be investigated." … "(250)362-7396"
  - Source: [Policy AD-3 Bylaw and Policy Enforcement, Procedures 1](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/6645)
  - Official wording: "Individual complaints about a bylaw contravention may be received by the City in person," … "by telephone or email, in writing, or via the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notices, early payment (1-14 days) / penalty: aggressive behaviour $50/$100; minor injury $150/$300; serious injury $250/$500; aggressive dog at large or improperly leashed $100/$200; vicious dog at large, improperly leashed, not muzzled or no signage $150/$300.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, Schedule B (Bylaw Notice Enforcement offences)](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/51764)
  - Official wording: "SCHEDULE B- BYLAW ENFORCEMENT NOTICE OFFENCES" … "EARLY PAYMENT" … "Animal display aggressive behaviour 7.2(a) $50.00 $100.00" … "Animal cause minor injury 7.2(b) $150.00 $300.00" … "Animal cause serious injury 7.2(c) $250.00 $500.00" … "Aggressive dog at large 9.4(a) $100.00 $200.00" … "Vicious dog at large 9.7(a) $150.00 $300.00" … "Fail to muzzle vicious dog" … "Fail to post signage" … "Fail to muzzle vicious dog 9.7(i) $150.00 $300.00" … "Fail to post signage 9.7(j) $150 .00 $300 .00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025 (Part 9)
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025, Citation](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/51764)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as the "Animal Control Bylaw" No. 2862, 2025"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

In the City of Rossland, an Animal Control Officer who believes a dog is Aggressive or Vicious may designate it and must send the owner a letter. Under the [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/51764):

- An Aggressive Dog, without provocation, has shown aggressive behaviour or caused a minor injury to a person or domestic animal.
- A Vicious Dog has caused a minor injury more than once, or a serious injury, or is likely to, or is a Dangerous Dog (as the Community Charter defines it).

The owner has 14 days to ask for reconsideration, or to make written representations for a Vicious designation.

## Good to know

- Aggressive Dog: it must never be at large. In public it needs a collar or harness and a leash no longer than 1.2 m (not retractable). The owner must microchip it within 14 days of notice, give the City a photo, hold an Aggressive Dog licence, report a move, death or change of owner within 2 business days, and tell any new owner of the designation.
- Vicious Dog: all of that, plus a muzzle in public, warning signs at all entrances, and keeping it indoors or in a locked enclosure (at least 2 m high, wide and long) inside a locked, fenced yard.
- An owner may apply to remove an Aggressive designation after one year if the bylaw's conditions are met.
- The owner must report a dog bite or injury to the Animal Control Officer within 72 hours. Anyone else can complain to City Hall in person, by phone or email, in writing or through the Report a Problem form. Anonymous complaints are not investigated.
- Bylaw notices (1 to 14 days / after): aggressive behaviour $50/$100; minor injury $150/$300; serious injury $250/$500; Aggressive Dog at large or improperly leashed $100/$200; Vicious Dog at large, improperly leashed, not muzzled or without signage $150/$300. A court can fine up to $50,000 on prosecution.
- The schedule cites subsections of s. 9.7 that do not exist in the bylaw, so confirm the muzzle and signage tickets with the City. The municipal ticket bylaw is a scan we could not read.
- The bylaw states no separate licence fee for these dogs, and the fee schedule lists none. Ask the City.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025 (PDF)](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/51764)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Fruitvale](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Salmo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2862, 2025 (PDF), City of Rossland](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/51764) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Noise and Nuisances, City of Rossland](https://rossland.ca/bylaw-enforcement/noise-and-nuisances/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Policy AD-3 Bylaw and Policy Enforcement (PDF), City of Rossland](https://rossland.civicweb.net/document/6645) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Rossland. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/dangerous-dogs/_