July 9, 1998

A Reminder about the Dog Days of Summer

In the summer, pet owners spend more time with dogs on streets and in parks. City of Vancouver Animal Control Services staff remind the public of the rules that allow everyone to enjoy dogs.

All dogs over the age of three months require a license. For neutered male or spayed female dogs, the cost is $34 per year. For other dogs, the license costs $54 per year. Licenses are available at the Pound (1280 Raymur), at City Hall, SPCA, Petcetera, and at many Vancouver veterinarians.

The City’s Animal Control Services staff uses license fees to:

• feed and shelter lost and stray dogs in an inspected facility
• pick up stray dogs (1,070 in 1997)
• return lost dogs to their owners (715 in 1997)
• provide a lost and found service
• educate dog owners about responsible pet ownership
• help neighbours resolve their dog-related problems (over 3,000 in 1997)
• operate the Adopt-a-Dog program (249 in 1997)
• impound vicious dogs (83 in 1997)
• house rabies-suspect (biting) animals
• pick up dead animals (696 in 1997)
• patrol parks, school grounds and neighbourhoods for problem dogs/owners
• assist the police with animal complaints.

Dogs must be on a leash when off the owner’s property. Dogs not on a leash or under the charge of a responsible person may be impounded. Owners of unlicensed dogs must pay a $131 impoundment fee, plus the license fee, to get the dog back. For licensed dogs found off-leash, impound fees are $70 for the first impound, $100 for the second and $130 for the third. There is an impoundment fee of $260 for vicious dogs.

Dogs are not allowed on any of Vancouver’s 11 bathing beaches. During the summer, the Park Board hires an extra animal control officer to patrol the beaches on weekends (in 1997, there were 12,492 complaints about dogs at these beaches). The Park Board has also initiated a pilot project to test off-leash times in several neighbourhood parks. Staff will evaluate this project through the summer.

One of the best sources of information about dog regulations, the City Pound, and the services it provides, is the City’s web site (click here to connect to the Pound page) The public can also get information, and register complaints, by calling the Dog Hotline at 871-6888 (871-MUTT).

Media enquiries:    Barb Fellnermayr
                                   Animal Control Services
                                   251-1325

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