WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK! PROPOSED NEW RESPONSIBLE PET OWNER BYLAW

PROPOSED CHANGES TO ANIMAL BYLAW – WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Council has passed first reading on Bylaw 2024/09, being the Town of Millet Responsible Pet Owner Bylaw. This bylaw is set to come back for second and third reading at the September 11^th meeting. If you would like to read this proposed bylaw, please click here. If you would like to voice your comments to Council regarding these changes, please forward your comments to town@millet.ca or drop off at the administration building prior to September 4th. All correspondence will be reviewed by Council prior to second and third reading of this bylaw.

In light of huge increases, the following changes are being proposed in the Responsible Pet Owner Bylaw.

The town has received an abundance of complaints regarding cats roaming in Town. The amount of cats being brought to the animal clinic has also increased significantly, costing taxpayers more money for boarding.

Council has been approached regarding bringing in a spay/neuter remote clinic to Town to help alleviate the cost to residents to have their pets altered, but were denied as a municipality must have a cat registration program in place for a minimum of 12 months before they will send this service remotely to our community.

Cats

No more than 4 cats allowed per residence without permission from Bylaw. Once requested, the following will be done prior to any approvals

• Letters to adjoining property owners, asking if they see any issues
• All must be licensed

Cat registration – a lifetime cat registration will be put in place. This will help Bylaw return any cats found roaming to their owners and alleviate the huge boarding fees. The cost of these cat licenses will be as follows:

Lifetime Registration         Under 5 years                                 $120                     Lifetime Registration

Lifetime Registration         Over   5 years                                  $60                      Lifetime Registration

Emotional support                                                                     $25                      Lifetime Registration

Any licenses purchased prior to March 1, 2025 will be $30/lifetime

When a cat is in heat, owners must keep the animal housed and confined.

All animals, caught running at large in the Town will be subject to a fine, including cats.

Dogs

No more than 2 dogs per residence without permission from bylaw. Once requested, the following will be done prior to any approvals:

• Letters to adjoining property owners, asking if they see any issues
• All must be licensed

Once a nuisance complaint is filed, the complainant must provide significant proof, including audio or video of the alleged nuisance complaint.

Boarding fees at the animal clinic will be increasing from $45/day to $55/day and the release fee will increase from $45 to $55. This is to offset the increase charged to the Municipality by the shelter.

 

Other changes

Having a prohibited animal in Town will carry a fine of $250, this includes: any large mammal or the young thereof, live poultry, bees, poisonous snakes, reptiles and insects and any animal or species deemed dangerous or objectable in the opinion of the Medical Officer of Health or the Enforcement officer.

Giving false information to the enforcement officer carries a fine of $500.

Any person who leaves an animal unattended in a Motor vehicle without proper protection from the elements or in a manner that places the animal at risk will be guilty of an offense.

Any person who fails to properly secure an animal inside or on a motor vehicle while in motion, is liable for an offense.