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THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF GRAND FORKS
ANIMAL CONTROL BYLAW NO. 2116
A bylaw to establish and set regulations for a pound and provide for the licensing
of dogs within the City of Grand Forks.
The Municipal Council for the Corporation of the City of Grand Forks, in open meeting lawfully
assembled, ENACTS as follows:
Citation
1.
This bylaw may be cited as the "Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116"
Definitions
2.
In this bylaw, unless the context otherwise requires:
2.1.
"Animal" means any stallion, mare, gelding, filly, foal, colt, jackass, mule, bull, cow,
heifer, steer, calf, ram, ewe, wether, lamb, goat, swine, fowl, poultry and rabbit;
2.2.
"Animal Control Officer" means any person appointed from time to time by Council
for the purpose of administering and enforcing this or other City bylaws, which may
include pound keeping services, and includes any assistant or any person appointed
by Council to assist in carrying out the provisions of this Bylaw, or any Peace Officer.
2.3.
"At Large" means
2.3.1.
any Dog or Animal in or upon the lands or premises of any person other than
the owner of the Animal without the consent, express or implied of that person;
2.3.2.
any Dog or Animal on a highway or public place not under the adequate control
of a responsible and competent person;
2.3.3.
any Animal on a highway or a public place posted as being prohibited to Dogs
or Animals; or,
2.3.4.
a vicious Dog not securely leashed and muzzled or under the adequate control
of a responsible and competent person while on a highway or public place.
2.4.
"Chief Administrative Officer" means the Chief Administrative Officer for the City
of Grand Forks;
2.5.
"City" means the Corporation of the City of Grand Forks;
2.6.
"Collector" means any person authorized by the City to collect fees and charges
connected with this bylaw.
2.7.
"Control Area" means the area within the municipal boundary of the City;
Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116
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2.8.
"Council" means the municipal council of the City;
2.9.
"Dog" means the male and female of the canine species;
2.10.
"Fees and Charges Bylaw" means the City's Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1958,
2014, as amended or replaced from time-to-time.
2.11.
"Impound" means to seize, deliver, receive or be taken into the Pound or in the
custody and control of the Animal Control Officer as authorized by this Bylaw;
2.12.
"Incurable disease" when used in relation to any Animal means an Animal certified
by a licensed and qualified veterinarian to have an incurable disease;
2.13.
"Kennel" means a building, structure, compound or group of pens or cages where
Dogs, cats, other domestic pets, or exotic pets are, or are intended to be trained,
cared for, bred, boarded or kept for commercial purposes.
2.14.
"Livestock Act" means the British Columbia Livestock Act [RSBC 1996] Chapter
270, as amended or replaced from time-to-time.
2.15.
"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw" means the City's Municipal Ticket
Information Bylaw No. 2073, as amended or replaced from time-to-time.
2.16.
"Owner" means any person:
2.16.1. to whom a licence for a dog has been issued under this bylaw;
2.16.2. who owns, is in possession of, or has the care, custody, or control of any Dog
or Animal;
2.16.3. who harbours or allows any Dog or Animal to remain about their house, land, or
premises;
2.16.4. during 2025, to whom a current licence for a dog has been issued under
Regional District of Kootenay Boundary Animal Control Bylaw No. 1550;
2.17.
"Pound" means any facility, building, structure, or enclosure used to harbour and
maintain Dogs or Animals pursuant to this bylaw, or any vehicle used by an Animal
Control Officer.
2.18.
"Public Place" means any publicly owned property, park, playground, beach,
boulevard, pathway or roadway;
2.19.
"Vicious dog" means any Dog that has attacked or bitten, attempted to attack or bite,
or chased any person or Animal or wildlife, without provocation, as determined by an
Animal Control Officer;
Dog Licences
3. Every person who has resided in the Control Area for a period of thirty (30) days or more who
owns, harbours, or keeps a Dog over the age of four (4) months within the Control Area shall
pay the Collector an annual license fee as described in the Fees and Charges Bylaw.
Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116
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Establishment of a Pound
4. Council authorizes the establishment, maintenance, lease, rental, subcontract, and operation
of facilities for the impounding of Dogs and Animals at such a place or places within or around
the Control Area as the Council may determine from time to time.
5. Council authorizes the appointment of a person or persons to carry out the duties of the
Animal Control Officer by the Chief Administrative Officer or designate.
6. The Animal Control Officer shall ensure all impounded Dogs and Animals are provided with
daily food, water and proper shelter.
7. The Animal Control Officer shall maintain a logbook on behalf of the City and record in the
logbook the description of every Dog or Animal impounded, the name of the person who
impounded the Dog or Animal, the time and occasion of the impoundment, the fees owing,
and the manner and date of disposal.
Dogs in Public Places
8. An owner or person who has control of a Dog must not cause or allow the Dog to be on a
highway or public place unless the Dog is under the immediate charge and control of a person
competent to restrain the Dog:
8.1.
on a leash that is not longer than 2.4 metres; or,
8.2.
on a leash lead that is not longer than 8 metres when fully extended.
9. Paragraph 8 does not apply to Dogs participating in a lawfully organized Dog show or
performance trial.
10. An owner or a person who has control of a Dog must ensure that the Dog is under control of
a person competent to always restrain the Dog as prescribed by paragraph 8 unless
specifically posted as an off-leash area in the Control Area.
11. An owner or person who has control of a Dog must not allow the Dog to deposit excrement
on a highway or public place unless the person immediately removes the excrement and
disposes of it in a sanitary manner.
12. An owner or person who has control of a Dog must not allow the Dog to deposit excrement
on private property not owned by the owner of the Dog or by the person who has control of
the Dog unless the person immediately removes the excrement and disposes of it in a sanitary
manner.
13. Paragraphs 11 and 12 do not apply to a person who is legally blind or visually impaired and
accompanied by a registered guide Dog.
Noisy Dogs
14. A person who owns, keeps, or harbours a Dog must not cause or allow the Dog to cry or bark
in a manner which tends to disturb the peace, quiet, rest, enjoyment, comfort, or convenience
of the neighborhood or of persons in the vicinity of the place where the Dog is kept.
Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116
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Dogs and Animals at-Large
15. A person must not cause or allow any Dog or Animal owned or harboured by that person to
be at-large within the boundaries of the Control Area.
Number of Dogs
16. A person must not keep, or allow to be kept, more than three (3) Dogs on any residential
property within the boundaries of the City.
Damages for Trespass to Private Property
17. In accordance with Section 48 of the Community Charter and Section 707 of the Local
Government Act, the owner of a Dog or Animal at-large is liable for the damages that the Dog
or Animal caused while at-large and the damages may be levied and collected as a fine or
fee prescribed by the Animal Control Officer.
Impounding of Dogs and Animals
18. The impoundment and maintenance fees for Dogs and Animals shall be those listed in the
Fees and Charges Bylaw.
19. The Animal Control Officer may seize and impound any Dog or Animal that is found to be at-
large within the Control Area.
20. Once a Dog or Animal is impounded, the City retains ownership of that Dog or Animal until
reclaimed by its owner, sold, or humanely euthanized.
21. If the owner of any impounded Dog or Animal is known to the Animal Control Officer, the
Animal Control Officer must notify the owner by telephone of the impoundment or mail the
owner a "Notice of Impoundment", in a format similar to the example attached to this bylaw
as Schedule 'A', within one business day of the impoundment.
22. The Animal Control Officer may post a "Notice of Impoundment" at the pound or in the local
newspaper.
23. The owner of any Dog or Animal impounded may reclaim the Dog or Animal prior to its sale
or destruction on proof of ownership and on payment of the impoundment, maintenance, and
license fees prescribed in the Fees and Charges Bylaw. The owner must provide the Animal
Control Officer with written authorization of the Dog or Animal's release from the pound.
24. If an impounded Dog or Animal is not claimed by its owner within 72 hours from its
impoundment and the owner has not paid the impoundment, maintenance, and license fees,
the Animal Control Officer may sell or humanely euthanize the Dog or Animal.
25. If an impounded Animal is an animal other than a Dog, a breed inspector must inspect the
Animal before the Animal Control Officer may sell or humanely euthanize it.
26. Notwithstanding Sections 15 and 18-25 of this Bylaw for at-large Dogs and Animals and the
impounding of Dogs and Animals, the Livestock Act, and its regulations and amendments
Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116
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where applicable, shall prevail if there is any conflict between this Bylaw and the Livestock
Act.
27. An owner of a Dog or Animal is liable for the payment of all fees prescribed in the Fees and
Charges Bylaw incurred in relation to any Dog or Animal impounded at the pound.
Vicious Dogs
28. An owner or person in control of a Vicious Dog must keep the Vicious Dog a minimum
distance of 100 metres away from an elementary school, middle school, high school, daycare
facility, or any public park in the Control Area.
29. An owner or person in control of a Vicious Dog must:
29.1.
securely confine the Vicious Dog indoors or in an enclosed pen or structure capable
of preventing the Vicious Dog from escaping or being entered by any unauthorized
persons; and,
29.2.
securely leash, muzzle or cage the Vicious Dog to prevent it from biting, attacking or
chasing another Animal or a person when the Vicious Dog is off the owner's premises.
Dogs with an Incurable Disease
30. A person must not own, keep, harbour, or possess any Dog with an incurable disease
designated by a licensed and qualified veterinarian within the Control Area unless the Dog is
in isolation and under treatment for the incurable disease.
31. The Animal Control Officer may humanely euthanize any Dog or Animal upon receiving a
certificate from a veterinarian that the impounded Dog or Animal is suffering from an incurable
disease or injury and was seized from the Control Area.
Warning Notice
32. The Animal Control Officer may issue a warning notice to the owner, possessor, or harbourer
of a Dog or Animal which has been found in contravention of this Bylaw.
Right of Inspection
33. Under Section 16 of the Community Charter, the Animal Control Officer is authorized to enter
at all reasonable times upon any property in the Control Area to inspect and determine
whether a requirement of this Bylaw is being met or a regulation is being followed.
No Interference
34. A person must not hinder, delay, obstruct, or interfere with an Animal Control Officer in the
lawful exercise of his or her duties under this Bylaw.
Enforcement and Penalties
35. Every person who violates any of the provisions of this Bylaw, or who suffers or permits any
act or thing to be done in contravention of any provision of this Bylaw, or who neglects to do
Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116
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or refrains from doing anything required to be done by any provision of this Bylaw or under a
Permit issued under this Bylaw shall:
35.1.
Upon being convicted of an offence under this Bylaw, pay a fine of not less than
$100.00 and not more than $10,000.00 if proceedings are brought under the Offence
Act, or;
35.2.
Pay the fine imposed for that offence specified in the Municipal Ticket Information
Bylaw.
36. Any person violating any provision of this Bylaw is liable on summary conviction to a fine as
prescribed in the Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw. A separate offence shall be deemed to
be committed on each day during, or on, which a violation occurs or continues.
37. Any person designated as a Bylaw Enforcement Officer pursuant to the Municipal Ticket
Information Bylaw is hereby authorized and empowered to enforce the provisions of this
Bylaw.
General
38. Any enactment referred to herein is a reference to an enactment of British Columbia and
regulations thereto, as amended, revised, consolidated or replaced from time to time.
39. If any section, paragraph or phrase of this bylaw is for any reason held to be invalid by a
decision of a Court of competent jurisdiction, such decision will not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this bylaw.
Read a first, second, and third time by the Municipal Council this 14th day of July, 2025.
Adopted this 11th day of August, 2025.
______________________
____________________________
Mayor - Everett Baker
Corporate Officer - Kevin McKinnon
CERTIFICATE
I hereby certify the foregoing to be a true and correct copy of Bylaw No. 2116, cited as the
"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116", as passed by the Municipal Council on the ___ day of
____________, 2020.
____________________________________
Corporate Officer of the Municipal Council of the
City of Grand Forks
Animal Control Bylaw No. 2116
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Schedule A
Notice of Impoundment
To:
TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to the provisions of the City of Grand Forks Animal Control Bylaw
No. 2116:
Description of Dog or Animal Impounded
Was (or were) impounded in the Pound kept by the undersigned at
on the
day of
, 20
, at the hour of
A.M./P.M.
AND TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that unless, within three (3) days after the date of this notice,
you appear at the Pound and release the dog(s) or animal(s) so impounded by the payment of
the lawful fees and charges, the same will be humanely euthanized or sold as provided in the
said Bylaw.
Dated this
day of
, 20
.
Animal Control Officer