The City of Edmonton wants to hear the public’s opinion as it updates its 20-year-old bylaw that regulates animal control — from barking dogs to roaming cats.
The push to renew the current Animal Licensing and Control Bylaw, in effect since October 2002, started last year.
The goal is to encourage responsible pet ownership while recognizing new and emerging trends that impact residents, businesses and the environment, the city website says.
Tracy Bauder, the operations manager at Edmonton’s Animal Care and Control Centre, is in charge of the bylaw renewal project.
“There are more than just dogs and cats for pets in Edmonton and we want to have a bylaw that’s reflective of all types of animals, so dogs, cats, rabbits, reptiles,” Bauder said in an interview Tuesday.
In several online forums, the city is asking for feedback on what could be changed in the existing bylaw.
“We’re wanting to understand from the public how those animals should be integrated into our bylaw,” Bauder said. “We want to understand, is this something that is important to the public.”
Rabbits as pets, for example, are not regulated in the current bylaw.
Ward Anirniq Coun. Erin Rutherford says her office gets a lot of complaints about animals. It’s the topic she hears about the most after concerns about traffic safety and the budget.
People call about dogs on and off leash, cats roaming, backyard chickens and pigeons, she said in an interview.
Noise, smell and safety are the biggest concerns she hears, whether it be chickens, pigeons, dogs or cats.
“There are some gaps and deficiencies that we’ve noted in the current bylaw that need to be modernized,” Rutherford said.
Some areas of the bylaw could be relaxed while others need strengthening, Rutherford said.
“We have definitely seen an increase in dog attacks and negative interactions with dogs, so I think that also needs to be reviewed in terms of finding a way to create community safety and balanced enforcement on those dog attacks.”
The bylaw review should look at whether cats should be allowed to roam unleashed, Rutherford said, stating that a large portion of complaints are about cats wandering into people’s yards.
Public gets a say
The city is asking for public feedback until Aug. 11, including through an online survey, open to pet owners and non-pet owners.
The survey asks respondents what kind of animal or pet they have: dogs, cats, rabbits and rodents like hamsters and guinea pigs, and also reptiles like snakes, lizards and turtles, amphibians like frogs, or bees, pigeons, other, or none.
The survey asks respondents: should there be a limit on the number of animals in a household? The current bylaw specifies that people can only have up to six cats and four dogs.
The survey asks if people agree that permits should be required for home-based businesses like dog grooming, and for temporary foster animal care.
And at what point should continuous barking be considered excessive, offensive or unreasonable to warrant a fine?
“I think that it was one of the areas that was identified as what’s currently in the bylaw wasn’t meeting the needs of Edmontonians or clear to them,” Bauder said.
The survey asks what perimeters and rules should be placed around restricted dogs — those with a background of multiple attacks, chasing or biting a person or animal causing physical injury.
The bylaw review will also look at the length of animal licences and fees.
The city collected initial feedback last year from May to December.
This feedback outlined three areas considered missing from the bylaw: clear definitions and fine potential for animal abandonment, safer transportation regulations for dogs and a requirement for breeders to have a business licence tied to specific requirements.
Incorporating the initial and next feedback, administration will present a proposed draft bylaw to city council early next year.