CORPORATION OF THE
DOG BY-LAW 15-97
BEING A BY-LAW FOR LICENSING AND REQUIRING THE REGISTRATION
OF DOGS AND FOR THE CONTROL OF DOGS WITHIN THE
WHEREAS the Municipal Act, R.S.O. 1990, as amended, provides that by-laws may be passed by the Councils of local municipalities for providing for animal identification systems; for requiring leashing of dogs; for requiring muzzling and leashing of dogs; for licensing and regulating and requiring the registration of dogs and for imposing a license fee; for prohibiting or regulating the running at large of dogs in the municipality; for seizing and impounding and for destroying, whether before or after impounding, dogs running at large contrary to the by-law.
AND WHEREAS it is deemed expedient that such a by-law be passed.
THE COUNCIL OF THE CORPORTION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MACHAR hereby enacts as follows:
1. This by-law may be cited as “The Dog By-Law”.
2.a) “Dog” means a male or female dog over the age of 12 weeks.
b) “Owner” of a dog includes a person who possesses or harbours a dog and, where
the owner is a minor, the person responsible for the custody of the minor.
c) “By-Law Enforcement Officer” includes the person so designated by the Council
to administer and enforce this by-law.
d) “Running at Large” shall be deemed to mean any dog found in any place other
than the premises of the owner of the dog and not under the control of any person.
e) “Kennel” means any land on which purebred dogs, registered or eligible for
registration under the Animal Pedigree Act of Canada are bred, boarded or
trained in accordance with Schedule “B” attached hereto.
3.a) Every person who owns a dog which is kept in the municipality shall, on or before
the 31st day of March in each and every year or within 15 days of becoming the
owner of such a dog, or within 15 days of becoming a resident of the
municipality, register such dog with the municipality and procure a license and
dog tag for each dog owned by them.
b) Every person described in subsection 3a) shall pay an annual license fee in the
amount of $10.00 for the first dog, $15.00 for the second dog, $20.00 for the third
dog, $25.00 for the fourth dog, $30.00 or the fifth dog and $35.00 for the sixth
dog licensed. The amount of the fee shall be determined by the number of dogs
harboured on a property, incidental and regardless of the number of separate
owners. There shall be no more than six dogs permitted on a property unless a
Kennel License has been obtained.
4. A record shall be kept by the municipality showing the name and address of the
owner of the dog, the serial number of the dog tag and the fees paid with respect
to each dog.
5. The owner shall keep the dog tag securely fixed on the dog at all times and shall
not use a dog tag upon a dog other than that for which it was issued.
6. The replacement fee for a lost dog tag shall be $5.00.
7. The owner o a kennel of dogs shall pay an annual license fee in the amount of
$100.00 and shall not be liable to pay the annual license fee for each purebred
dog. Individual tags will not be issued.
8. No owner of a dog shall allow a dog to run at large within the limits of the
municipality or to kill or injure livestock, poultry or other domestic animals.
9. No owner of a dog shall allow their dog to be on a public road or in a public place
at any time unless the dog is on a leash an such leash is held onto by a responsible
person.
10. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 9, no person shall allow a dog, at any
time, in any area designated as a public swimming area.
11.a) Every dog found running at large contrary to the provisions of this by-law, with
or without a tag, may be seized and impounded by the By-Law Enforcement
Officer or their agent. If claimed within 4 days, the dog may be redeemed for
Poundage levied as levied by the Poundkeeper, or may be destroyed if not
` claimed within the 4 day period. An attempt will be made to give the recorded
owner a 24 hour notice prior to destroying the dog.
b) Every dog, if impounded and not claimed within the 4 day period, may be sold by
the Poundkeeper.
c) An owner may surrender their dog to the pound for the purpose of adoption or
euthanasia upon payment of a surrender fee.
12. The Poundkeeper as appointed by the Municipal Council, is authorized to collect
the poundage levied by this by-law and to maintain a pound as directed by the
Council and as approved by the Ministry of Agriculture & Food.
13. Where a dog is impounded, the owner, if known shall be liable for the pound fee
as levied by the Poundkeeper whether the dog is claimed from the pound or not.
14. Where a dog has been injured on property other than that where it was kept and
should be destroyed for humane reasons or for reasons of safety to persons or
animals, the By-Law Enforcement Officer or their agent may kill the dog in a
humane manner as soon after seizure as they think fit without permitting any
person to reclaim the dog, or without offering it for sale, and no damages or
compensations shall be received by the owner on account of its disposal.
15. Every person who contravenes a provision of this by-law is guilty of an offence
and is subject to the provision of the Provincial Offences Act,
16. All sections of this by-law shall be deemed to be separate and independent and the
invalidity of any section or provision thereof shall not affect the remaining
sections.