Huge increase in licence fee shocks dangerous dog owner

The Central Okanagan Regional District is defending a huge increase in the licensing fee for dangerous dogs.

Mary Goncalves’ dog, Markus, was declared dangerous a few years ago after it bit a postal worker.

She says she was shocked when the licence renewal notification arrived in Monday’s mail.

“It went from $60 to $500,” says Goncalves. “That’s a huge increase. Apparently there was a bylaw that was passed last year but I wasn’t aware of it at all.”

A regional district spokesperson says the increase shouldn’t have come as a surprise.

“All of the owners were contacted by letter and the dangerous dog owners were actually contacted individually and a package was left for them,” says Bruce Smith.

But advance warning or not, Goncalves says a 733 per cent increase is too much.

“It’s very excessive, considering the City of Vancouver charges about $200, the City of Coquitlam charges $80 for dangerous and $107 for vicious dogs and the City of Surrey charges $278.50.”

Smith says some municipalities charge $1,000 to license a dangerous dog.

“So we’re in the middle.”

And he defends larger licence fees for dangerous dogs.

“It’s more staff time to handle those dogs because of their behaviour,” says Smith.

Goncalves doesn’t like the $500 licence fee for Markus but she’ll just have to bite the bullet.

“Either you pay it or you get fined.”