Dog attacks and feral cats: Here's how the City of Edmonton is revamping its animal bylaw
The City of Edmonton is exploring stricter regulations for dogs and feral cats to address public safety. The review comes as the city's Animal Licensing and Control Bylaw will be revamped after more than 20 years.
Members of the public, which ranged from veterinarians and animal researchers, spoke at Monday's community and public services committee meeting at city hall.
The recommendations made by administration largely focus on animal welfare, dog attacks and bites, restricted dog regulations and cat regulations.
A dog is not deemed restricted until convicted under the bylaw for chasing, attacking or biting potentially resulting in injury.
The bylaw proposes to increase penalties for dog attacks. For instance, fines for a dog chasing a person or animal would go from $100 to $250. For a dog bite or attack, the city recommends maintaining the current $500 fine, but raising a second offence to $1,000.
It also recommends imposing mandatory dog training for some restricted dogs, requiring they get microchipped, and mandating owner reporting for dog bite incidents.
Administration told city councillors that the recommendations were based on two years of research and community engagement with Edmontonians, interested parties and experts.
WATCH | Edmonton's animal bylaw is changing:
Edmonton is updating its 20-year-old animal control bylaw
1 day ago
Duration 2:31
One city councillor is pleased about the proposed increase in fines for dog attacks. An advocate says the city needs to encourage more owners to tag or microchip their pets. A draft bylaw is in front of committee on Monday for feedback.
Coun. Keren Tang said she's heard a surge of concerns about animal safety after a dog attack in her ward led to the death of a child last spring.
"This chilling and tragic incident impacted not just one family, but impacted a whole community," Tang said at the meeting.
"I'm glad to see you're bringing that the penalties up to be more reflective of also other jurisdictions."
Feral cats
A point of contention from public speakers included defining which cats are feral and how to regulate their behaviour.
Feral cats are not defined in the current bylaw, meaning that all cats, regardless of ownership are classified the same.
Administration estimated that up to 70,000 feral cats live in Edmonton.
The bylaw revamp would look at definitions for feral cats, feral cat colonies, and trap-neuter-return programs to reduce the feral cat population.
Amy Wilson, a veterinarian and University of British Columbia adjunct professor, had concerns about roaming cats as a source of disease, with pathogens from their feces persisting in soil and water for years.
"I find that the public is generally completely unaware of this risk. And so by allowing free roaming cats on private and public areas, people are being exposed without their knowledge and without their consent."
She said that trap-neuter-return programs are logistically intensive and are not as effective as people think. And that removal of some cats through adoptions, feral cat sanctuaries, and sometimes euthanasia are needed for programs to be successful.
"If you do want to have any population decrease at all, you need to ensure that 75 to 90 per cent of the population is sterilized at all times, which in most populations is not achievable."
Administration clarified the bylaw would exempt unowned feral cats from licensing requirements.
Colleen Cassady St. Clair, a University of Alberta biologist, said that will help incentivize people to participate in the trap-neuter-return program.
"I realize this view may seem counterintuitive to the goal of controlling feral cats," St. Clair said.
"I have this view because residents who love cats and organizations that are devoted to the welfare of individual animals are unlikely to participate in city sanction programs that euthanize cats."
She said the new bylaw will help different groups work together to control feral populations without removing cats from the community.
The community and public services committee approved the policy direction and administration will prepare and present the new bylaw on August 11.
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