Pets | City of Port Moody

Golden Retriever on a leash crossing bridge with owners

Animals and wildlife are integral to life in Port Moody. The City provides education and information to residents for keeping the community safe. Learn more about managing interactions and attractants for wildlife and pets, to stay safe and avoid damage to homes and property. Looking out for wildlife, and ensuring responsible dog ownership are all community responsibilities.

To find resources on City requirements and responsible dog ownership, visit our pages on off-leash dog parks and applying for a licence.

For bears and other wildlife, we provide information on how to avoid attractants, what to do if you have an encounter, safety tips for pet owners, and contact information for the B.C. Conservation Officer Service. Learn more about wildlife encounters and interactions Port Moody.

Pet encounters with wildlife

Pet encounters with wildlife can occur in both natural and urban areas. Off-leash dogs and free-roaming cats are at the highest risk of conflicts with wildlife including bears, coyotes, and cougars. Larger dogs may startle wildlife and cause them to engage in defensive or territorial behaviour, and smaller dogs and cats can be easy prey. Ensure you understand the risks of potential wildlife encounters with pets.

Pet food and water dishes are considered wildlife attractants. Keep all pet food and water indoors to avoid attracting wildlife to your property.

Tips for dog owners

Avoid areas of high wildlife activity and stick to official trails to avoid entering wildlife dens or defended territories.
Keep dog food and water bowls indoors.
Do not allow your dog to interact or play with coyotes or other wildlife. This can habituate wildlife so they lose their fear of people and pets.
Spay/neuter your dog. Coyotes are attracted to unspayed/unneutered dogs and can mate with them.
Keep dogs on a 6-foot leash to maintain control. In designated off-leash areas, keep dogs in view at all times and immediately call and leash them if wildlife appear nearby.
Avoid walking dogs at dawn and dusk, and bring dogs inside at night.
Maintain fencing in your yard to keep dogs in and wildlife out. If your property backs onto forested parkland, be sure to supervise your dog when it’s in the yard.
Keep dogs out of streams to protect sensitive aquatic species, especially during salmon spawning season (October – March).
Pick up dog waste in your backyard and in natural areas to avoid attracting wildlife.

Tips for cat owners

If your cat roams free outdoors, bring them in from dusk until dawn.
Keep cat food and water bowls indoors.
Domestic cats are the number 1 killer of wild birds in North America. Consider keeping your cats indoors to protect our local bird species.

Tips for fish, reptile, amphibian, rabbit, insect, and rodent owners

Do not release domestic or exotic pets into the wild. They can compete for resources with native species and have drastic ecological effects.