---
title: Smithers rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs
question: "What are the rules for aggressive or dangerous dogs in Smithers?"
place: Smithers, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/smithers
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: Town of Smithers
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dangerous-dogs/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dangerous-dogs.json"
---

# Smithers rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

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

**Short answer:** In Smithers, a dog an officer declares dangerous (it killed or seriously injured a person or animal, or is likely to) needs a $300 yearly licence, $1,000,000 liability insurance, a muzzle and a leash off property. An aggressive dog is $150 a year and must be confined at home.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Smithers, https://www.smithers.ca)  
**Cost:** Dangerous dog licence: $300 a year. Aggressive dog licence: $150 a year. Bylaw notices: most offences $400; a dog bite of a person $300.  
**How long:** Not stated.  
**Where:**
- In person: Town Hall, 1027 Aldous Street, Smithers, BC (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Phone: Town Hall (bylaw enforcement), 250-847-1600 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** Dangerous: killed or seriously injured a person, or another animal off the owner's property, or an Animal Control Officer has reasonable grounds to believe it is likely to kill or seriously injure a person. Aggressive: unprovoked pursuit, harassment or non-serious bite, or an officer believes it is likely to injure.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), s. 2.1 definitions](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/)
  - Official wording: "has killed or seriously injured a person," … "an Animal Control Officer has reasonable grounds to believe is likely to kill or" … "has, without provocation, bitten or caused non-serious injury to a person or"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Rules for owners:** Dangerous dog: owner at least 19; $1,000,000 liability insurance; at home, indoors or in a locked enclosure; off property, muzzled, on a leash up to 1.2 m, handler 19 or older. Aggressive dog: confined at home; muzzled and leashed off property, handler 19 or older.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), s. 4.1-4.2](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/)
  - Official wording: "The owner of a dangerous dog must be at least nineteen (19) years of age." … "proof of public liability insurance in"
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), s. 4.6](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/)
  - Official wording: "ensure the dog is securely muzzled;" … "(c) ensure the dog is under the control of a person who is at least nineteen"
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), s. 4.11](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/)
  - Official wording: "Every owner of an aggressive dog shall ensure that at any time that the dog is"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Licence fee:** Dangerous dog: $300 a year. Aggressive dog: $150 a year.
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2003, Schedule O](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/278063/)
  - Official wording: "Dangerous dog" … "For an Aggressive dog"
  - Source: [Dog Licensing & Control](https://www.smithers.ca/bylaw-enforcement-animal-control/dog-licensing-control)
  - Official wording: "$150 for an aggressive dog." … "$300 for a dangerous dog."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Complaints go to the Bylaw Enforcement Officer online (request for service), by phone at 250-847-1600 or in person at the Town Office, 1027 Aldous Street. The complainant must give name, address, phone and a description of the issue.
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement & Animal Control, How to Report a Violation](https://www.smithers.ca/bylaw-enforcement-animal-control)
  - Official wording: "Online (request for service)" … "By phone (250-847-1600) or fax (250-847-1601)" … "Name, address and phone number of the complainant;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: most dangerous or aggressive dog offences are $400 (for example dangerous dog at large, s. 4.7(c)); dog bite of a person (s. 5.2(a)) is $300. The schedule also shows $200 or $150 early and $500 or $400 late, but s. 8.1 describes the columns differently; confirm with the Town. (Sources differ: Amounts are from the Schedule A table of Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011 (adopted Aug. 25, 2026). The table headings read Penalty / Early Payment (within 14 days) / Late Payment (after 28 days), but s. 8.1 of the same bylaw says the Column 3 amount is payable within 14 days, Column 4 between 14 and 28 days and Column 5 after 28 days, so which figure is the 'full' amount is unclear; confirm with the Town. No Municipal Ticket Information bylaw was found in the bylaw library.)
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011, Schedule A, Bylaw 1780 table](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/290948/)
  - Official wording: "Dangerous dog at large 4.7 (c) 400.00 200.00 500.00 NO" … "Unlicensed aggressive dog 4.8 400.00 200.00 500.00 NO" … "Dog bite person 5.2 (a) 300.00 150.00 400.00 NO" … "amount set out in Column 3 of "Schedule A"; or"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Bylaw No. 1780 - Animal Control and Licensing
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), s. 1.1](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited as" … "Animal Control and Licensing"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23](<https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/>) lets an Animal Control Officer declare a dog dangerous or aggressive. Dangerous: it has killed or seriously injured a person, or another animal off the owner's property, or an officer has reasonable grounds to believe it is likely to. Aggressive: it has pursued or harassed someone unprovoked, or made a non-serious bite, or an officer believes it is likely to injure.

## Owner rules

- Dangerous dog: owner at least 19; $1,000,000 liability insurance; kept at home indoors or in a locked enclosure; off the property it must be muzzled and on a leash up to 1.2 m, with a handler 19 or older.
- Aggressive dog: confined at home; muzzled and leashed off property, with a handler 19 or older.
- Licence fees are in the [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2003](<https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/278063/>): $300 a year (dangerous), $150 a year (aggressive).

## Steps to report

1. Call the Bylaw Enforcement Officer at 250-847-1600, use the online request for service, or go to the Town Office, 1027 Aldous Street.
2. Give your name, address, phone number and a description of the issue.

## Good to know

- Bylaw notices are $400 for most offences (for example a dangerous dog at large) and $300 for a dog bite of a person. The early and late amounts and their timing should be confirmed with the Town.

## Official forms and pages

- [Dog Licensing & Control](https://www.smithers.ca/bylaw-enforcement-animal-control/dog-licensing-control)
- [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020)](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/)

## Related questions

- [Smithers dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dog-licence.md)
- [Smithers dog leash rules and off-leash areas](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dog-leash-rules.md)
- [Smithers bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Houston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Kitimat](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw No. 1780 (consolidated to January 23, 2020), Town of Smithers](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/160511/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2003, Town of Smithers](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/278063/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011, Town of Smithers](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/290948/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Enforcement & Animal Control, Town of Smithers](https://www.smithers.ca/bylaw-enforcement-animal-control) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Dog Licensing & Control, Town of Smithers](https://www.smithers.ca/bylaw-enforcement-animal-control/dog-licensing-control) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 Town of Smithers. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/dangerous-dogs/_