Key Dates
Animal Control Review Findings
At their Special meeting, Council was presented with the findings, key issues and recommendations of the Animal Control Review. Recommendations included having staff prepare amendments to the bylaw that focus on the importance of responsible pet ownership and incorporating the following provisions:
- removing reference to “Restricted Dogs” since it is no longer best practice (and not practicable) to target;
- changing “Vicious Dog” to “Aggressive Dog”.
- modernizing sections to reflect current best practices on standards of care;
- requiring every owner of a cat to provide the cat with identification;
- requiring every cat that is permitted to go outside be spayed or neutered; and
- prohibiting cats to be at large in a public place or on another person’s property, unless it is under the immediate charge and control of the owner or other person responsible for the animal.
View the presentation made by Allan Nielson of Nielson Strategies
Read the report by Allan Nielson of Nielson Strategies
Council Endorses Review Recommendations
At their Regular meeting, Council supported the Consultant’s recommendations and directed staff to move forward with developing a new bylaw for Council’s consideration.
Bylaw Presented to Council
The bylaw was presented to the Governance and Priorities Committee and the Committee passed a motion directing staff to forward the “ANIMAL RESPONSIBILITY BYLAW 2020 NO. 7316,” to Council for consideration of first three readings.
Council Seeks Public Input of Bylaw
When the bylaw was presented to Council for three readings, Council passed the following resolution:
"That readings of the Animal Control Bylaw be delayed until Staff have had the opportunity to post the Draft Bylaw to the City’s Bang the Table platform for 3 weeks of public input, create a report on that input for consideration of changes that might be incorporated into the draft Bylaw, and bring back to Council for three readings in early January."