An “aggressive dog” is defined in the Animal Control Bylaw as:

• a dog with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack without provocation, cause injury or otherwise threaten the safety of humans or domestic animals;
• a dog which has, without provocation, bitten, inflicted injury, assaulted, pursued or otherwise attacked a human or domestic animal;
• a dog which is owned primarily or in part for the purpose of dog fighting, or has been or is being trained for dog fighting.

No person shall keep or own any diseased or aggressive dog within the City unless the dog is kept sufficiently secured so as to prevent it from endangering the safety of any person or other animal.

No owner of an aggressive dog shall permit or allow the dog to be on any highway or in any public place or any other place that is not owned or controlled by that person, unless the dog is secured on a leash to its owner and muzzled to prevent it from biting another animal or a human.

All dogs six (6) months of age or older are required to have a licence. Licences can be obtained from Port Coquitlam City Hall 2580 Shaughnessy Street, Port Coquitlam. Get more information.

Every dog licence expires on December 31st of the year of issue.

There is currently no requirement in Port Coquitlam for cats to be licensed.

Where a Dog leaves or deposits any excrement on any public place or private property other than the property of the Owner, the Owner shall immediately take steps to remove such excrement and dispose of it in a sanitary manner.

Dog and cat excrement may be flushed down the toilet. Click for other pet waste disposal options.

It is not lawful to possess more than three dogs unless a kennel licence has been issued. Kennel licences are issued only to properties with agricultural zoning.

There is no specific limit in the Animal Control Bylaw on the number of cats one can own, but if cat ownership is excessive to the point of creating a health hazard, there may be intervention by the BC SPCA or the Fraser Health Authority.

Daytime barking

No person shall keep any animal which, by its calls, cries, barks, or other noises, disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort, or convenience of the neighbourhood or people in the vicinity.

Nighttime barking

Council believes that the following noises or sounds are objectionable: any calls, cries, barks, or other noises made by an animal and that are audible outside the parcel or premises where the animal is kept, between 11 pm to 7 am.

Residents who are disturbed by barking dogs can request an investigation by submitting a detailed noise complaint form to the Bylaw Services Office. To register an excessive barking complaint you must first record the location where the dog lives, and the dates, times and duration of the barking in a barking dog log either online or download the form (pdf).

Once you have completed a barking dog log, you must then complete a noise complaint form. Download a printable version of the complaint form or complete the online version.