Salmon Arm rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

What are the rules for aggressive or dangerous dogs?

Salmon Arm, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In the City of Salmon Arm, a Bylaw Enforcement Officer can declare a dog aggressive or dangerous and tell the owner in writing. An aggressive dog must be on a securely held leash or in a fenced yard or pen away from the house; a dangerous dog must be leashed and muzzled, or locked up.

Key facts

How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive	A Bylaw Enforcement Officer decides, in writing to the owner, if they have reason to believe and evidence that the dog fits. Aggressive: has attacked, bitten, injured or tried to injure a person or animal. Dangerous: has seriously injured or killed a person or domestic animal. An aggressive declaration ends after 12 months without further violations.Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728, s. 2(e), 2(p), 9(g), 9(h), 9(j) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Aggressive Dog means any dog that has attacked, bitten, or caused injury or attempted to attack, bite, or cause injury to a person or animal as determined by a Bylaw Enforcement Officer. Dangerous Dog means any dog that has seriously injured or killed a person or domestic animal as determined by an Bylaw Enforcement Officer in accordance with the Community Charter. A Bylaw Enforcement Officer may designate a dog as an Aggressive Dog, in writing to the Owner, if the Bylaw Enforcement Officer has reason to believe and has evidence that the dog meets the definition of an Aggressive Dog. A Bylaw Enforcement Officer may designate a dog as a Dangerous Dog, in writing to the Owner for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of the declaration, the dog will no longer be declared to be an Aggressive Dog
Rules for owners	Away from the house or property: aggressive dog on a securely held leash or in a fenced yard or pen; dangerous dog leashed and muzzled, or in a locked enclosure. Dangerous dogs need warning signs front and back and a microchip within 15 days. Neither may enter parks, playgrounds, sports fields, beaches or school grounds.Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728, s. 9(d), 9(i), 9(k), 9(l), 9(m) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording No Owner shall allow a Dangerous Dog or an Aggressive Dog into any sports field, playground, public beach, swimming area, park, off-leash park, or school grounds at any time. keep the Aggressive Dog controlled on a leash securely held; or keep the Aggressive Dog within a fenced yard in or pen or enclosure keep the Dangerous Dog controlled on a leash securely held and a muzzle tightly fastened keep the Dangerous Dog within a locked enclosure incapable of being accessed by the public shall post a sign approved by the Bylaw Enforcement Officer, visible to the public at the front and back of the property A microchip shall be implanted within 15 days of Declaration.
Licence fee	Per calendar year: aggressive dog $100 (spayed or neutered) or $150 (not); dangerous dog $250 either way.Fee for Services Bylaw No. 2498 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule B Appendix 6, Schedule B, Appendix 6, items 7-10 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Aggressive Dog (neutered or spayed) Per calendar year $100.00 Aggressive Dog (unneutered or unspayed) Per calendar year $150.00 Dangerous Dog (neutered or spayed) Per calendar year $250.00 Dangerous Dog (unneutered or unspayed) Per calendar year $250.00
How to report	Contact Dog Control at 250.803.4000 or use the City's online Request Tracker; or hand a Bylaw Complaint Form to the Customer Service Centre at City Hall. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.Dog Licenses, Dog Control Services; Bylaw Enforcement Services, How to Report a Bylaw Violation · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Contact Dog Control at 250.803.4000 or use Request Tracker. please complete the Bylaw Complaint Form (PDF) and submit the form to the Customer Service Centre at City Hall Anonymous complaints will not be accepted by the City of Salmon Arm.
Fine	Municipal tickets: inadequate control of an aggressive dog $500, of a dangerous dog $2,500; aggressive dog in a prohibited area $750, dangerous dog $1,000; no warning sign or no microchip for a dangerous dog $250 each.Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 2760 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule 3, Schedule 3 (Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Aggressive dog in prohibited area 9 (d) $750.00 Dangerous dog in prohibited area 9 (d) $1,000.00 Inadequate control of aggressive dog 9 (i) $500.00 Inadequate control of dangerous dog 9 (k) $2,500.00 Failure to post signage of dangerous dog 9 (l) $250.00 Failure to microchip dangerous dog 9 (m) $250.00
Bylaw	City of Salmon Arm Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728, s. 16 Citation · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording City of Salmon Arm Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728

How it works

The Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728 lets a Bylaw Enforcement Officer declare a dog aggressive or dangerous, in writing to the owner, if the officer has reason to believe it and has evidence. An aggressive dog has attacked, bitten, injured or tried to injure a person or animal. A dangerous dog has seriously injured or killed a person or domestic animal. A nuisance dog is a third category: at large or impounded 3 times in 12 months, three violations in 12 months, or repeatedly charging or lunging at a fence.

Steps

To report a dog, call Dog Control at 250-803-4000, use the City's online Request Tracker, or hand a Bylaw Complaint Form to the Customer Service Centre at City Hall. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.
An aggressive dog away from the house or property must be on a securely held leash or in a fenced yard or pen.
A dangerous dog must be leashed and muzzled, or in a locked enclosure. It needs warning signs at the front and back and a microchip within 15 days.

Good to know

Neither an aggressive nor a dangerous dog may enter parks, playgrounds, sports fields, beaches or school grounds.
An aggressive declaration ends after 12 months without further violations. No end date is stated for a dangerous dog declaration.
The City may seize a dangerous dog for up to 21 days.
Enclosure standards are in Schedule A of the bylaw: 6 feet high, 4 feet wide, 12 feet long, locked, with shelter, used for no more than 12 hours in 24.
Municipal tickets under Bylaw 2760: inadequate control of an aggressive dog $500, of a dangerous dog $2,500; aggressive dog in a prohibited area $750, dangerous dog $1,000; no warning sign or no microchip for a dangerous dog $250 each.
The same schedule lists $100 for a nuisance dog declaration, $250 for an aggressive dog declaration and $1,000 for a dangerous dog declaration. The maximum penalty under the bylaw is $50,000 per offence.
The City pages do not give a separate procedure for reporting a bite or attack.

Official forms and pages

Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728 (PDF)

The same question in other places

Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728 (PDF), City of Salmon Arm (read 2026-11-05)
Fee for Services Bylaw No. 2498 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule B Appendix 6 (read 2026-11-05)
Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 2760 (consolidated, PDF), Schedule 3 (read 2026-11-05)
Bylaw Enforcement Services, City of Salmon Arm (read 2026-11-05)
Dog Licenses, City of Salmon Arm (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. How answers are checked.