To report an unlicensed dog call Animal Control, inside Vancouver at 3-1-1 or outside Vancouver by dialing 604.873.7000. You will be asked the following questions:

• your name, address and phone number (your information is kept confidential)
• the address of where the dog lives
• a description of the dog
• complaint details

An Animal Control Officer will investigate your report.

All dog owners within the City of Vancouver must license their dogs. To report an unlicensed dog, call Animal Control, inside Vancouver at 3-1-1 or outside Vancouver by dialing 604.873.7000.

Animal Control follows up on all reports of unlicensed dogs. In addition, Animal Control Officers canvass neighbourhoods and follow-up on delinquent licenses.

Yes. Animal Control cannot respond to anonymous complaints. Your name and address will be kept confidential.

For detailed information on receiving a notice, contact Animal Control, inside Vancouver at 3-1-1 or outside Vancouver by dialing 604.873.7000.

No. That information is confidential. If you suspect your neighbours dog is unlicensed, call Animal Control, inside Vancouver at 3-1-1 or outside Vancouver by dialing 604. 873.7000 and file a report.

Call Animal Control at 3-1-1 or outside Vancouver dial 604.873.7000 to register a complaint about dogs running at large. At that time you will be asked a series of questions:

• your name, address and phone number (your information is kept confidential)
• the address of where the dog lives, if known
• the date and time that you last saw the dog off it’s property
• a description of the dog

Your complaint will be registered and an Animal Control Officer will investigate.

The City of Vancouver Animal Control By-law 9150, defines “at large” as being off the premises of the owner and not on a leash held by a person able to control the dog. “At large” is also defined as a dog on a bathing beach or in the water adjacent to a bathing beach, whether or not the dog is under the control of a person.

No – The City of Vancouver Animal Control By-law does not allow dogs to run off-leash unless in designated off leash locations. Schools are considered public property so therefore all owners must follow the Animal Control By-law as well as following any Vancouver School Board rules and regulations.

No, the by-law does not require that a dog be behind a fence only that it remain on its owner’s property. If off its owners property it must be on a leash held by a person able to control the dog. The leash must be no longer than six (6) feet.

Yes, as long as the dog remains on its property it has not violated the Animal Control By-law. If off its owners property it must be on a leash held by a person able to control the dog. The leash must be no longer than six (6) feet.

The City of Vancouver Animal Control By-law 9150 clearly states that as a dog owner you must keep your dog on a leash while off its property. The leash cannot extend longer than 6 feet and the leash must be held by a person able to control the dog.

Letting your pet run loose puts them and the community in danger. Every year hundreds of dogs and cats die in traffic accidents. Motorists may be injured trying to avoid these animals. When allowed to run at large your pet can be killed or injured by another animal, they can ingest poison or come to harm in numerous other ways.

A large playful dog may frighten seniors and children and can cause injury by jumping up on them. Dogs also create conditions for disease by ripping apart garbage and by soiling property.

Pets that run free contribute to pet population in Vancouver.

Owners who fail to keep their dog on a leash in Vancouver are subject to fines of $250.00.

The City has many off-leash areas created for you and your dog to enjoy. Even though dogs are allowed off leash in these spaces, they must still be under their owner's control. This means the dogs must be able to respond to their owner's voice, sound or visual commands.

Remember, a leash keeps your dog where it wants to be - by your side.

View the list of off leash parks.

Yes, Vancouver Park Board has put together a Dog Off-Leash Code of Conduct that is to be followed in each park.

Please obey this code and encourage others to do the same:

1. Be sure your dog has a current and visible license (this will help to ensure adequate services are provided for you and your dog).
2. Leash your dog(s) while entering and exiting the dog off-leash zone (this web site and on-site signage will show you the off-leash zone(s)).
3. Have a leash on-hand at all times.
4. Respect off-leash times and the dog off-leash zone (some people want to be able to use the park without being bothered by off-leash dogs).
5. Dogs are not allowed within 15 meters of children's playground equipment.
6. Be sure you can see your dog at all times and pick up after it.
7. Please help to ensure bag dispensers are full at all times.
8. Ensure your dog is responsive to your commands (all off-leash dogs should be able to pass the Canadian Kennel Club - Canine Good Neighbour Program).
9. Leash your dog if it exhibits aggressive behaviour.
10. Don't allow your dog to dig holes.
11. Keep early morning and evening noise to a minimum (in summer many people living next to the park sleep with their windows open).

If you are bitten by a dog you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

All dog bites should be reported immediately to the City of Vancouver Animal Control by dialing 3-1-1 inside Vancouver and outside Vancouver by dialing 604.873.7000.

Be prepared to provide the following information:

1. Your name, address and phone numbers, both business and home (your information is kept confidential)
2. Date and time of the incident
3. Where the incident occurred
4. Where the dog lives, if known
5. Dog owner information, if known
6. Breed of dog and a description
7. Size and color of dog
8. Identifying features of the dog
9. Advise if the dog was wearing a collar or tags
10. Have photos taken of any injuries

You can file a formal complaint with the City of Vancouver Animal Control by calling 3-1-1 inside Vancouver or outside Vancouver by dialing 604.873.7000.

If your pet has been attacked by another dog you should call Animal Control by dialing 3-1-1 inside Vancouver and outside Vancouver by dialing 604.873.7000. Be prepared to provide the following information:

1. Your name, address and phone numbers, both business and home (your information is kept confidential)
2. Date and time of the incident
3. Where the incident occurred
4. Where the dog lives, if known
5. Dog owner information, if known
6. Breed of dog and a description
7. Size and color of dog
8. Identifying features of the dog
9. Advise if the dog was wearing a collar or tags
10. Have photos taken of any injuries

Animal Control is unable to mandate that an owner pay the vet bills that were incurred from an incident involving their dog.

If through your conversations with the owner they are unwilling to assist you with those payments you will have the ability to make a claim through Small Claims Court.

Under the Animal Control By-law 9150 all feces must be picked up by the owner and removed or deposited in waste receptacles. If you are encountering a problem, you can file a formal complaint with the City of Vancouver Animal Control by dialing 3-1-1 inside Vancouver and outside Vancouver by dialing 604.873.7000.

To register a complaint about a barking dog, call Animal Control by dialing 3-1-1 inside Vancouver and outside Vancouver by dialing 604.873.7000. At that time you will be asked a series of questions:

• your name, address and phone number (your information is kept confidential)
• the address of where the dog lives
• the date and time that you last hear the dog barking to disturb you
• a description of the dog that you saw barking

Your complaint will be registered and an Animal Control Officer will investigate. Please note that Animal Control does not respond to anonymous complaints.

If you are comfortable doing so, try talking to your neighbour about the problem. They may simply be unaware that their dog barks when they are away from home.

The next step is to contact Animal Control by dialing 3-1-1 inside Vancouver and outside Vancouver by dialing 604.873.7000 to lodge a complaint. Animal Control will send an officer to attempt to speak with the owner about the situation. If they are unable to make contact the officer will leave a notice stating that a complaint has been made against them.

If it is the second complaint in the same year you will also be sent a log sheet for you to record the incidents of barking that disturb you. After you send the log back to Animal Control it will be reviewed and sent to By-law Prosecution Office. They will determine if the information provided is sufficient to ticket the owner. It is beneficial to have all the households that are affected by the barking fill out a package. All persons who complete a barking package must be willing to testify to the fact that the information is accurate.

Your dog cannot unduly disturb anyone at anytime of day. There are many reasons why a dogs barking might disturb someone during the day; your neighbours may be shift workers and sleep during the day or perhaps your neighbours are sick and must rest. Whatever the reason, the City of Vancouver Animal Control By-law 9150 is in effect 24 hours a day.

Barking is the normal way a dog communicates vocally, but a barking dog can be a serious neighborhood nuisance. The City of Vancouver By-law 9150 states that your dog cannot bark or howl or in any other way unduly disturb the quiet of any person(s).

Some suggestions if your dog is barking and disturbing your neighbours:

• Keeping your dog indoors can help prevent it from disturbing your neighbours.
• Sometimes dogs bark when they are not getting adequate care, if they are lonely, bored or looking for attention. Being a responsible dog owner means you will provide your dog with the attention and daily exercise it needs.
• A dog can learn not to bark. Well trained dogs are less likely to become problem barkers, so look into obedience classes for your dog.
• If puppies show a tendency to bark, hold their muzzles gently and scold them. Aversive conditioning is the best way to control barking in older dogs. They learn to associate barking with an unpleasant experience, such as isolation. This conditioning should never be painful to the animal.

The Vancouver Animal Control By-law 9150 states that your dog cannot unduly disturb the quiet of person(s) on another premise. If your dog is disturbing your neighbours for any reason, they can file a complaint with Animal Control.

The City of Vancouver, Animal Control By-law 9150 states that a person who owns or occupies a premises must not permit, suffer, or allow the sound of a barking or howling dog that a person not on the same premises can easily hear and that disturbs or tends to disturb unreasonably the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of such person. If your dog is disturbing your neighbours for any reason, they can file a complaint with Animal Control.

The specific penalty as set in the City of Vancouver Animal Control By-law 9150 for allowing your dog to bark is $250.00.

To register a complaint about a dog defecating, call Animal Control by dialing 3-1-1 or outside Vancouver at 604.873.7000. At that time you will be asked a series of questions:

• your name, address and phone number (your information is kept confidential)
• the address of where the dog lives
• the date and time that you last saw the dog owner fail to pick up after their dog, off it’s property
• a description of the dog and owner in question

Your complaint will be registered and an Animal Control Officer will investigate.

It is unfair to simply make an assumption that it is your neighbour’s dog that defecated. You must see the dog defecate off its property before an accusation can be made against the dog owner.

No, the dog urinating is not considered defecating off its property.

No, the Animal Control By-law does not provide for this.

Animal Control enforces the City of Vancouver, Animal Control By-law which has authority only when a dog defecates off the owners’ property. If the matter is creating a health concern for you or your family, call Vancouver Coastal Health to discuss options.

Yes, Animal Control doe do patrols of specific areas when a problem has been identified. To register a complaint, contact Animal Control by dialing 3-1-1 or outside Vancouver at 604.873.7000.

To register a complaint about a residence with too many animals, call Animal Control at 3-1-1 or outside Vancouver at 604.873.7000. At that time you will be asked a series of questions:

• your name, address and phone number (your information is kept confidential)
• address in concern
• amount and type of animals
• how you know of the animals

How quickly an officer can respond to a call depends upon two factors: how many officers are available to respond, and the priority calls that need to be serviced first (e.g., sick or injured animal). Calls involving an immediate danger or injury to an animal or person are of higher priority than the pick up of a dead animal.

Animal Control Officers typically investigate complaints of:

• Excessive barking
• Dog bites or attacks
• Dog off leash
• Dogs without a licence
• Dogs at large
• Failure to clean up pet defecation (poop)
• Dead animals on public property

Animal Control Officers investigate complaints by interviewing witnesses, neighbours, complainants and pet owners. When possible, the officer also collects other evidence.

Any investigation can result in a simple warning or a fine.

Animal Control Officers can seize animals that are found at-large (i.e. stray), dogs that are not licenced, dogs that licences have not been renewed, or a dog that has or who is alleged to have bitten a human being or other domestic animal within Vancouver city limits.

Animals seized for being at-large or dogs without a licence can be picked up by their owner from the Animal Control Facility.

No. Under the City’s Ride Home Free program, at-large dogs with a valid licence can be taken directly home by an officer free of charge once every 12 months.

The BC SPCA has the authority to enforce the BC Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and investigates reports of abuse. They can be reached by calling 604.879.7721.

The City does not have the mandate or legal authority to investigate animal abuse.