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Sample Municipal Bylaws

Sample Municipal Bylaws

In most Canadian cities, animal control laws and enforcement is overseen by a municipality. In remote areas this may be overseen by district laws. If there is a serious attack or incident, it may be referred to the courts and fall under provincial legislation.

A robust animal control bylaw will have specific requirements outlined for owners in the community. Some elements to look for include:

  • Rather than generally referring to “aggression” or “attack,” the document should outline specific behaviour: growling, snarling, biting, severity of biting (no mark, mark, breaking of skin), etc.

  • There should be specific and enforceable consequences for behaviours. They should cover management of the animal (leashing, muzzling, containment, training) and penalties for the owners. 

  • It should address all levels of aggressive behaviours. If the city doesn’t have a bylaw to address a minor bite or a chase incident, then this action will go without consequence. This is a concern, since serious bites are almost always preceded by a minor bite.

  • It should address the treatment of the animal. While cruelty investigations fall under the jurisdiction of the SPCA, the SPCA is stretched for resources and may only be able to attend to the most serious cases of abuse or neglect. By including basic standards for food, water, shelter and tethering, a city’s bylaws allow an animal control officer to address the situation immediately, which can help to sidestep potential aggressive behaviour by stopping any mistreatment of the dog.

  • It should address breeding and the sale of animals. Irresponsible breeding and lack of early training/socialization are major risk factors in aggressive and problem animals.

Examples

The BC SPCA has sample bylaws available by request. They also provide advice and consultation to local governments.

https://spca.bc.ca/programs-services/working-for-better-laws/model-municipal-bylaws

 
The bylaws of Coquitlam and New Westminster, British Columbia are some of the most well-researched and progressive in the province and serve as great examples.

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Calgary was a world leader in animal control best practices for 20 years, under the leadership of Bill Bruce. They had a revenue-neutral program, a high level of community engagement, and the lowest bite rate in North America. With changes in management and a declining economy, unfortunately these successes have waned in recent years, but Mr. Bruce’s track record is impressive and the bylaw remains strong.​​