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Bylaw 7 Dogs
BE IT ENACTED by the Council of the Municipality of the County of Annapolis, under
authority of Sections 175-179 of the Municipal Government Act, Chapter 18 of the Acts
of Nova Scotia 1998, as amended:
Title
1. This Bylaw may be cited as the "Dog Bylaw."
Definitions
2. Except as provided below, terms used in this policy shall have the same meaning as
in the Municipal Government Act, or as their context applies according to a dictionary
of the English language:
(1) "at large" means:
(a) off the premises of the owner without being on a leash or under the effective
care and control at all times of a responsible and capable person; or
(b) on a tether of sufficient length to permit the dog to wander beyond the property
boundaries of the premises of the owner.
(2) "extraordinary expense" means any expense incurred by Municipal Staff in
relation to a dog except for provision of food and shelter;
(3) "fierce or dangerous dog" means any dog:
(a) that, in the absence of a mitigating factor as defined herein, has attacked or
injured a person;
(b) that, in the absence of a mitigating factor as defined herein, has attacked or
injured a domestic animal;
(c) that, in the absence of a mitigating factor as defined herein, approaches any
person or domestic animal in an apparent attitude of attack upon streets,
sidewalks, any public grounds or places, or on private property other than the
property of the owner;
(d) trained or used for dog fighting; or
(e) that is rabid or appears to be rabid or exhibiting symptoms of canine
madness.
(4) "mitigating factor" means a circumstance that may excuse the dangerous
behaviour of a dog and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, may
include:
(a) aggressive behavior while acting in defense of an attack by a person or
domestic animal;
(b) aggressive behaviour while acting in defense of its young;
(c) aggressive behavior as a reaction to a person or domestic animal trespassing
on the property of its owner;
(d) aggressive behaviour resulting from being teased, provoked, or tormented;
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(e) aggressive behavior caused by the complainant leaving food or attractants of
any type out of doors;
(f) the dog is a professionally trained dog lawfully engaged in law enforcement
duties under the control of a law enforcement officer.
(5) "Municipality" means the Municipality of the County of Annapolis;
(6) "Municipal Staff" means a municipal employee designated by the Chief
Administrative Officer (CAO) to act on the Municipality's behalf for the purpose
of enforcing this Bylaw.
Registration
3. County residents have the option to register their dog and receive a dog tag on a
volunteer basis for a one-time fee as set by Municipal Council from time to time by
policy or motion.
4. The registration can be transferred to a subsequent dog, with the registration
information updated.
5. A fee as set by Municipal Council from time to time by policy or motion is required for
a replacement tag.
6. Residents may register their dog and receive a tag at the Annapolis Royal or Middleton
Municipal Offices.
Administration of Bylaw
7. Municipal Staff shall be responsible for the enforcement of this Bylaw.
8. Municipal Staff shall collect on behalf of the Municipality any impounding fees, daily
pound fees and any other additional expenses, charges or fees as are authorized in this
Bylaw.
9. Municipal Staff shall protect the confidentiality of all persons involved in an
investigation to the greatest extent possible, except as may be required to be
disclosed for court prosecution and in accordance with Part XX, Municipal
Government Act (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy).
Contravention of Bylaw
10. Every owner:
(1) whose dog runs at large; or
(2) whose dog has attacked or injured a person; or
(3) whose dog has attacked or injured a domestic animal; or
(4) who fails to comply with a notice to muzzle, securely leash, and ensure that the
dog is under the control of a person not under 18 years of age when the dog is off
the property of the owner the dog; or
(5) who fails to comply with a notice to keep the dog securely restrained either indoors
or inside an escape-proof enclosure that does not allow the dog to jump, climb or
dig its way out; or
(6) who fails to remove the feces of their dog from public property or private property
other than the owners; or
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(7) whose dog persistently disturbs the quiet of the neighbourhood by barking, howling
or otherwise; or
(8) who owns, keeps or harbours a fierce or dangerous dog
is guilty of an offence under this Bylaw. Each contravention is a separate offence and
subject to a separate charge.
Dogs Barking
11. No dog shall be permitted to persistently disturb the quiet of a neighbourhood by
barking, howling or otherwise making noise to a degree beyond what the Bylaw
Enforcement Officer determines to be normal.
12. In determining what is "normal" in the context of this section, the Bylaw Enforcement
Officer shall consider one or more, but not limited to, the following factors:
a) The time of day that the dog is reported as disruptive.
b) The frequency and duration of the reported disruptive behaviour.
c) The proximity of neighbours and population density of the neighbourhood.
13. The owner of a dog which persistently disturbs the quiet of a neighbourhood within the
meaning of this part commits an offence under this Bylaw. If the Bylaw Enforcement
Officer determines, upon reasonable grounds, that a dog is being disruptive, as
defined in this section, the Bylaw Enforcement Officer shall give a written warning to
the dog owner before taking any other action under this Bylaw.
Dogs at Large
14. Municipal Staff may, without notice to or complaint against the owner, impound any
dog that runs at large contrary to this Bylaw.
15. When a dog is impounded, Municipal Staff shall check for a tag or electronic
identification device. If a tag or electronic identification device is found, Municipal Staff
shall make at least one attempt to contact the owner of the dog. However, it remains
the responsibility of the owner of a missing dog to contact Municipal Staff to ascertain
whether the dog has been impounded.
16. Any dog which has not been recovered by its owner at the expiry of a period of 3
business days after being impounded may be given away or humanely euthanized.
17. Whenever the 3 business days of impounding time expires on a weekend or holiday,
Municipal Staff shall hold such dog until the expiry of the first business day following
the weekend or holiday to permit the owner to recover the dog.
18. Where a dog is injured, ill or diseased before or after being impounded such that in
the opinion of Municipal Staff and on the advice of a veterinarian it should be
euthanized without delay for humane reasons, the dog may be euthanized in a
humane manner without giving notice to the owner or permitting any person to recover
the animal.
19. Where a dog is injured, ill or diseased before or after being impounded such that in
the opinion of Municipal Staff it should receive veterinary treatment without delay for
humane reasons, the dog may receive treatment without giving notice to the owner or
permitting any person to recover the animal prior to receiving treatment.
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20. Upon verification of proof of ownership, the owner of a dog which has been impounded
for being at large may recover the dog after making payment (or satisfactory
arrangements for payment) of:
(1) an impounding fee (as set by Municipal Council from time to time by policy or
practice);
(2) a daily pound fee (as set by Municipal Council from time to time by policy or
practice);
(3) all travel expenses incurred by the Municipality;
(4) all necessary veterinary costs incurred to care for the dog;
(5) reimbursement for any extraordinary expenses incurred by Municipal Staff in
relation to the dog; and
(6) a mandatory registration fee (tag and / or microchip at the discretion of Municipal
Staff).
21. If a dog is not released to its owner, the fees, expenses and costs payable in Section
16 may be recovered by the Municipality from the owner as a debt.
22. In a circumstance that previous warnings or tickets have been given to the owner of a
dog which has been at large, Municipal Staff may refuse to permit the owner to recover
the dog. Any dog which is not permitted to be recovered by its owner may be given
away or humanely euthanized.
Fierce or Dangerous Dogs
23. If a dog is fierce or dangerous, Municipal Staff may do any one or a combination of
the following:
(1) impound the dog;
(2) issue the owner a notice to muzzle, securely leash, and ensure that the dog is
under the control of a person not under 18 years of age when the dog is off the
property of the dog owner;
(3) issue the owner a notice to keep the dog securely restrained either indoors or
inside an escape-proof enclosure that does not allow the dog to jump, climb or dig
its way out.
24. If in the opinion of Municipal Staff a dog is an imminent threat to the safety of humans
or domestic animals, Municipal Staff may have the dog euthanized without permitting
the owner to recover it and issue a notice to the owner informing that the dog has been
euthanized.
25. If a notice has been issued to the owner in accordance with Section 19, the owner
may recover the dog after making payment (or satisfactory arrangements for payment)
of:
(1) an impounding fee (as fixed by policy or motion);
(2) a daily pound fee (as fixed by policy or motion);
(3) all travel expenses incurred by the Municipality;
(4) all necessary veterinary costs incurred to care for the dog; and
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(5) reimbursement for any extraordinary expenses incurred by Municipal Staff in
relation to the dog;
(6) a mandatory registration fee.
26. Where a dog impounded in accordance with Section 19 is injured, ill or diseased
before or after being impounded such that in the opinion of Municipal Staff it should
be euthanized without delay for humane reasons, the dog may be euthanized in a
humane manner without giving notice to the owner or permitting any person to recover
the animal.
27. If a dog is euthanized, the fees, expenses and costs payable in Section 21 may be
recovered by the Municipality from the owner as a debt.
28. The failure of the owner to comply with any notice issued in accordance with Section
19 shall be an offence under this Bylaw.
Penalty
25. Any person who contravenes any provision of this Bylaw is punishable on summary
conviction by a fine of not less than $200.00 and not more than $1,000 for a first
offence; and not less than $300.00 and not more than $1,000 for a second offence;
and not less than $400.00 and not more than $1,000 for a third or subsequent offence.
Repeals
26. A1 Dog Bylaw, adopted by the Municipality of the County of Annapolis on the 27th day
of January 2022, is hereby repealed.
Bylaw Adoption
First Reading
June 17, 2025
Notice of Intent to Consider Bylaw (website)
June 18, 2025
Second Reading
July 15, 2025
Final Publication and Effective Date (newspaper)
July 24, 2025
THIS IS TO CERTIFY that Bylaw 7 Dogs was duly approved by Council of the Municipality
of the County of Annapolis on the 15th day of July 2025.
Given under the hand of the Municipal
Clerk and the corporate seal of the
Municipality of the County of Annapolis
this 28th day of July 2025.
Dawn Campbell
Interim Chief Administrative Officer