We are dedicated to ensuring the well-being of both residents and animals in our community. We respond to animal-related concerns, lost pets, enforce the Animal Control Bylaw, and ensure responsible pet ownership.
Residents of Port Coquitlam with questions or concerns related to animal control, including unlicensed dogs, barking dogs, dogs at large, or dog bites may complete one of the forms below, or contact Bylaw Services at 604-927-5440 or [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions
Please call Bylaw Services directly at 604-927-5440 in case an owner has already called looking for the pet. Bylaw Services is available evenings and after hours to connect directly with an Officer.
If you have found the animal after 10:00 pm, please hold onto the animal overnight until staff are on the following morning at 7:30am. If you are unable to safely look after the animal overnight, please transport the animal to Central Animal Emergency Clinic.
If the animal is found injured overnight, please contact the SPCA Emergency Line at 604-879-7343.
When an Animal Control Officer finds or receives a dog at large, they will first look to see if the dog has a collar with a City dog licence or other owner information. The dog may also be scanned for a microchip or checked for a tattoo to determine if an owner can be located. Animal Control Officers attempt to reunite dogs with their owners prior to transporting to the Coquitlam Animal Shelter.
All dogs six (6) months of age or older are required to have a licence. Every dog licence expires on December 31 of the year of issue.
The revenue generated from dog license fees goes towards the animal shelter and adoption services, along with Animal control complaints such as barking dogs, dogs at large, dog bites and other dog-related issues.
Renew or Apply For Dog Licences
There is currently no requirement in Port Coquitlam for cats to be licensed.
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 on the number of cats that can be at a property, however, if cat ownership is excessive to the point of creating a health hazard or public nuisance, there may be intervention by the BC SPCA or the Fraser Health Authority.
Unless a dog is in an off-leash area, all dogs are required to be on leash off their own private property. Port Coquitlam has a number of fenced and un-fenced dog off-leash areas, where your dog may be off-leash.
- Every owner of a dog shall prevent the dog from being or running at large.
- Every owner of a dog shall keep the dog from trespassing upon private property, whether it is running at large or held on a leash secured to its owner.
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. Learn more about other pet waste disposal options.
If anyone or an animal are injured, please seek medical attention or veterinary attention for injuries received.
The City requires a dog incident statement form be completed to generate a file for investigation. This comprehensive form asks details of the incident including who was involved, witnesses, where the incident occured, and what injuries were sustained. An Animal Control Officer will be in touch with you following receipt of the form to obtain any necessary additional documentation (i.e. photos of injury) from the incident. If you require assistance completing this form, please contact Bylaw Services.
Once we receive your statement, a file will be generated for an Officer to investigate. The Animal Control Officer will attempt to locate and speak with the owner of the alleged offending dog for their perspective of the incident. The Animal Control Officers do review files for any previous history on the dog (previous bite files, calls regarding the dog being at large, dog licensing). Following obtaining all possible evidence into a dog incident, a meeting is held to discuss the incident and the steps the City may take to ensure a similar incident does not occur again. This could include an aggressive dog warning or aggressive/ dangerous dog designation that includes restrictions on care and control of the dog within the City of Port Coquitlam. Some examples of the restrictions on care and control include use of a muzzle, use of a 1.2m leash, prohibitions from all City off leash areas, higher licensing fees and signage on a property.
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.
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.
The City requires a 7-day log of barking durations which are disturbing to the service requestor. The reason for the log is to illustrate the nature of the disturbance, how often the barking is occurring, and the times in order to investigate the matter efficiently and effectively. The information provided in the dog barking log is used to work on a resolution with the dog owner.