Under the Comox Valley Regional District's Bylaw 100 — a bylaw to provide for the impounding and licensing of animals — Sections 10 and 11 specifically address dangerous dogs and the procedure to seize or impound the animals.
The dangerous dogs section states:
• A person must not own or have custody of a dangerous dog except as provided in sections 10(2) and 10(3) of this bylaw.
• An owner of a dangerous dog must not permit or allow the dangerous dog to be in a public place including a highway, or in any other place that is not owned or controlled by that owner unless the dog is muzzled to prevent it from biting a human or animal and is under the effective control of some person over the age of 16 years.
• The owner of a dangerous dog must confine the dog in a building or secure enclosure and must keep the dog effectively muzzled, caged, or leashed on a fixed leash by an adult person whenever such dog is released from said building or secure enclosure.
• If a person contravenes Section 10(2), the dog which attacks or viciously pursues a person or domestic animal shall be subject to the impoundment provisions of this bylaw and the owner must, upon written request of the poundkeeper, surrender the dog immediately.
• At the discretion of the poundkeeper, any dog, which bites any person or an animal, whether on private or other property shall:
a) be impounded by the poundkeeper unless the dog is placed under the supervision of licensed veterinary surgeon;
b) be impounded for a period of 14 days and the daily fee charges for impoundment shall be that amount set out in Schedule B of this bylaw and shall be paid by the owner of the dog;
c) be disposed of if not claimed by the owner within two days after the expiration of the 14-day period.
The seize or impound section states:
• The poundkeeper or any peace officer is authorized as animal control officers to seize or impound any animal that is found at large or an unlicensed dog.
• If a peace officer seizes an animal pursuant to section 11(1), they must, as soon as practical, notify the poundkeeper of such seizure and cause such animal to be delivered to the poundkeeper.
• The poundkeeper must receive and impound any animal delivered to them by a peace officer pursuant to section 11(2). The poundkeeper must retain in a pound any animal seized and impounded pursuant to this section and shall not release any such animal except in accordance with the provisions of this bylaw.
For more information, visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/section_bylaws.