Port Coquitlam is due to put tighter reins on owners of aggressive or dangerous dogs.
Tonight (Tuesday), city council is expected to give three readings on four bylaws that will give the municipality more power to control the pets — and impose more fines on owners who don't obey.
Among the proposed changes, which city council has yet to formally adopt, are:
• a ban on aggressive or dangerous dogs in the city's two off-leash parks;
• a requirement that owners of dangerous dogs post a warning sign at each entrance of their property;
• a restriction to have aggressive or dangerous dogs under the care and control of an adult, and be on a non-retractable leash when in public;
• a provision to have permanent identification (i.e., tattoo or microchip) on an aggressive or dangerous dog;
• and a mandate for the owner to notify the city's animal control officer when an aggressive dog is at large, dies or is gifted to another owner.
The policies also call for more fines — up to $500, in most cases — on owners not complying with the rules (aggressive dog at large is being increased from $150 to $500).
As well, language will be changed in the bylaws to better define a minor injury and an enclosure. And higher licence, impound and board fees will be imposed for aggressive or dangerous dogs.
Coun. Glenn Pollock, chairperson of the city's community safety committee that is recommending the new wording, said "more and more aggressive dogs, it seems like, are in Port Coquitlam every year" and it was time for the city to take a stand on controls.
Currently, there are about 40 aggressive dogs in PoCo.
The bylaw changes also come after significant amendments to the policies over the past three years, Pollock said.
In 2015, city staff told the committee about its attempts to deal with about half a dozen chronic offenders and its legal challenges. Twice, the city has applied to the courts to destroy a dangerous dog and has been denied, wrote Paula Jones, PoCo's manager of bylaw services, in a report.
And last year, following two lengthy appeal hearings, city council upheld an aggressive designation on a small dog after it attacked a boy near Terry Fox secondary school, leaving him with marks on his body and a fear for dogs.
Meanwhile, city council tonight (Tuesday) is also set to vote on changing adoption prices for municipally owned animals housed in the city's pound; imposing a fine on owners who don't keep female dogs in heat in a securely confined location (leashed walks are permitted); and preventing dogs from being left in hot vehicles.
In addition, under the new rules, dog licences can only be bought by residents older than 18.
