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

# Vernon rules for aggressive and dangerous dogs

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

**Short answer:** In the City of Vernon, aggressive and dangerous dogs are regulated by the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881. Such a dog must be in a secure fence or enclosure at home and muzzled on a leash of 1 metre or less in public. Report a dog at 250-541-3647.

**Who handles it:** Regional district (Regional District of North Okanagan, https://www.rdno.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice: no dangerous-dog sign $500; aggressive dog unsecured, unmuzzled or in a prohibited area $300 ($240 if paid within 14 days); dog bites a person $500 ($400 early). Municipal ticket: sign $500; each aggressive-dog offence $300; bite $500. Repeat and nuisance dogs pay double. No separate licence fee is listed.  
**Where:**
- Phone: RDNO Dog Control (DOGS), 250-541-3647
- Email: RDNO Dog Control, dogbylaw@rdno.ca
- Online: Dog complaint form, https://www.rdno.ca/dog-control/file-dog-complaint

## Key facts

- **How a dog is declared dangerous or aggressive:** Aggressive: chases or approaches people menacingly, or has attacked, bitten or injured (or tried to) a person or domestic animal, or was designated aggressive by an officer, the BC SPCA, RCMP, a vet or a court. Dangerous: has seriously injured or killed a person or domestic animal. Animal Control Officers decide.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated), Regional District of North Okanagan, s. 5 (definitions), 56](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "has attacked, bitten, or caused injury to, or attempted to attack, bite, or cause Injury to, a person or Domestic Animal, as determined by an Animal Control Officer;" … "has been designated or found to be an Aggressive Dog by an Animal Control Officer, the BC SPCA, the RCMP" … "means any Dog that has seriously injured or killed a person or domestic animal as determined by an Animal Control Officer" … "The Animal Control Officer may determine whether a Dog is a Nuisance Dog, Aggressive Dog, or Dangerous Dog for the purposes of the Bylaw."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Rules for owners:** Dangerous dog: owner must post a warning sign. Aggressive or dangerous dog: in a secure fence or enclosure when outside the dwelling; in public (not in a closed vehicle) on a leash of 1 m at most and muzzled; never in sports fields, playgrounds, beaches, parkland, dog parks or school grounds.
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated), Regional District of North Okanagan, s. 29-32, Schedule B](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "An Owner of a Dangerous Dog shall post signage visible to the public" … "must be kept within a secure Fence or Enclosure." … "wearing a Muzzle securely fastened." … "No Owner shall allow an Aggressive Dog or a Dangerous Dog into any sports field, playground, public beach, swimming area, Parkland, off-Leash Dog Park, or school grounds at any time." … "posted on all sides of the property adjacent to a Public Place;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Licence fee:** None set. The regional dog control bylaw lists no separate licence fee for these dogs.
- **How to report:** Submit an online dog complaint to RDNO Dog Control, or call 250-541-3647 (DOGS); email dogbylaw@rdno.ca. RDNO Dog Control Officers handle aggressive dog investigations.
  - Source: [Dog Control, Regional District of North Okanagan, Submit a Dog Complaint](https://www.rdno.ca/dogcontrol)
  - Official wording: "Report barking, off-leash, aggressive dog, dogs at large, lost or found dogs." … "off-leash infractions, and aggressive dog investigations" … "Dog Control dogbylaw@rdno.ca 250-541-3647 (DOGS)"
  - Source: [Submit a Dog Complaint, Regional District of North Okanagan, File a dog complaint](https://www.rdno.ca/dog-control/file-dog-complaint)
  - Official wording: "To report a Dog Control Bylaw concern, please submit an online report."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: no dangerous-dog sign $500; unsecured, unmuzzled or prohibited-area aggressive dog $300 ($240 if paid within 14 days); dog bites a person $500 ($400 early). Municipal ticket: sign $500; each aggressive-dog offence $300; bite $500. Repeat and nuisance dogs pay double.
  - Source: [https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2909_C.pdf, Schedule A, Appendix 4](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2909_C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Failure to post Dangerous Dog 29 $500.00 $500.00 No" … "Unsecured Aggressive Dog 30 $300.00 $240.00 No" … "Aggressive Dog in prohibited area 32 $300.00 $240.00 No" … "Dog bites, inflicts injury, assaults or 21.b $500.00 $400.00 No"
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated), Regional District of North Okanagan, Schedule G](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Failure to post Dangerous Dog signage $500.00" … "Unsecured Aggressive Dog $250.00" … "Aggressive Dog in prohibited area $250.00" … "Dog bites, inflicts injury, assaults or otherwise attacks a person $500.00" … "Nuisance Dogs are charged double the applicable Fine"
  - Source: [https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2908_C.pdf, Bylaw 2908, Schedule E](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2908_C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Failure to post Dangerous Dog signage 29 $500.00" … "Unsecured Aggressive Dog 30 $300.00" … "Aggressive Dog in prohibited area 32 $300.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (Regional District of North Okanagan)
  - Source: [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated), Regional District of North Okanagan, s. 1](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Dog control for the City of Vernon is an RDNO service under [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881](<https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf>). An aggressive dog chases or approaches people menacingly, has attacked, bitten or injured (or tried to) a person or domestic animal, or was designated aggressive by an officer, the BC SPCA, the RCMP, a veterinarian or a court. A dangerous dog has seriously injured or killed a person or domestic animal. Animal Control Officers decide.

## Rules for the owner

1. At home, keep an aggressive or dangerous dog in a secure fence or enclosure when it is outside the dwelling.
2. In public, keep it on a leash of 1 metre or less and muzzled, unless it is in a closed vehicle.
3. Never take it into sports fields, playgrounds, beaches, parkland, dog parks or school grounds.
4. For a dangerous dog, post a warning sign. It must be at least 22.86 cm by 27.94 cm.

## Good to know

- A released aggressive dog needs a signed Application for Release of Aggressive Dog.
- The bylaw lists no separate licence fee for these dogs. Impound fees for aggressive dogs are $200, $500, then $1,000, plus boarding at $50 a day.
- To report a dog, use the online complaint form, call 250-541-3647 or email dogbylaw@rdno.ca. Animal cruelty goes to the BC SPCA at 1-855-622-7722. In an emergency call 9-1-1.

## Official forms and pages

- [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881 (PDF)](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf)
- [Dog Control, RDNO](https://www.rdno.ca/dogcontrol)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Dangerous dog rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Coldstream](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Lake Country](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Spallumcheen](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Armstrong](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/dangerous-dogs.md)
- [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/dangerous-dogs.md)

## Sources

- [Dog Control Bylaw No. 2881, 2021 (consolidated) (PDF), Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2881_C.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Dog Control, Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/dogcontrol) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Submit a Dog Complaint, Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/dog-control/file-dog-complaint) (read 2026-11-05)
- [https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2909_C.pdf](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2909_C.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2908_C.pdf](https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2025-03/BL_2908_C.pdf) (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 Regional District of North Okanagan. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/dangerous-dogs/_