Does a dangerous dog live near you? You can now find out as new measures to protect public go into effect

New measures aimed at protecting the public from dangerous dogs went into effect in Toronto on Wednesday after they were recently approved by city council.

The City has currently deemed 373 dogs across Toronto as “dangerous.”

Starting Wednesday, and continuing over the next month, city staff will be visiting the owners of those dogs to deliver standardized signs that must be visibly posted on their property, advising the public that a dangerous animal resides there.

In a release, the City said the visits will be prioritized based on the severity of the incidents that led to the dangerous dog orders.

Those who don’t agree to post the signs could face significant penalties.

“If there is non-compliance with any part of the order, enforcement action will be taken which may include fines of up to $615 or a court-issued fine of up to $100,000 upon conviction,” a City release states.

“Following these proactive visits, City staff will continue to conduct regular compliance checks and respond to complaints to ensure continued compliance.”

The signs are just one of the new measures council approved after several disturbing incidents in the city where people were mauled by dogs.  

Dangerous dogs must also be muzzled in public, wear a dangerous dog tag, and owners are required to provide training to better socialize their pets.

Dangerous dogs will also be forbidden from using off-leash areas.

Additionally, you can now find out if a dangerous dog is living in your neighbourhood.

A public list has been posted that includes the first three digits of the postal code of the owner, their ward number, the dog’s name, breed and colour, and the date that the dangerous act occurred.

You can find the list here.

According to city data, the highest number of dangerous dogs reside in Ward 14 – Toronto-Danforth with 28 while both Ward 20 – Scarborough Southwest and Ward19 – Beaches-East York each have 23 dangerous dogs registered.

The new measures come after several high profile dog attacks, including the mauling of an East York woman by two dogs in the summer of 2023, and an attack on a young boy in March 2024 by dogs that were already deemed dangerous by the City.

“Making our city safe means preventing negative encounters with dangerous dogs in public spaces,” Mayor Olivia Chow said in a release.

“If someone observes a dangerous dog without its muzzle or in an off-leash dog park, a complaint can be made to 311 and the matter will be investigated as soon as possible.”