Aggressive Animal Management

It is important to report to your municipality any bite that has caused injury to a person or domestic animal. In collaboration with the animal control officer, the municipality will determine whether a dangerousness assessment of the biting dog is required. A dog exhibiting aggressive behavior without biting may also be subject to a dangerousness assessment when deemed appropriate by the municipality and its animal control officer.

As part of managing a complaint regarding an aggressive animal, with or without a bite, SPA des Cantons proceeds as follows:

Preliminary Investigation

• • Identification of the animal and owner
  • Obtaining witness statements
  • Obtaining evidence (photos, medical or veterinary report)
  • Report and summary to the municipality
  • Decision by the municipality (dangerousness assessment required or not)

Dangerousness Assessment (if required)

• • Seizure of the animal, only if deemed appropriate
  • Assessment conducted by a licensed veterinarian, member of the OMVQ
  • Report to the municipality
  • Decision by the municipality (end of proceedings or declaration of the dog as potentially dangerous or dangerous, or euthanasia order, as applicable)

An animal is considered to have aggressive behavior if it:

• • bites, attempts to bite, or attacks a person or another animal, causing or not causing injury, lesion, or damage;
  • displays aggression toward a person by growling, showing teeth, barking ferociously, or acting in any manner that objectively indicates the animal could bite or attack;
  • does not comply with repeated commands from its keeper or is in offensive or defensive mode such that it appears ready to attack a person or animal, when it is objectively not threatened;
  • by its behavior or nature appears to endanger the safety of a person.