New animal control bylaw in Stouffville brings new leash restrictions

YorkRegion.com
July 24, 2017
Simon Martin

Have a pet? The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville council recently approved a revised animal control bylaw that added new regulations concerning tethering, muzzling orders, dog licences and the feeding of wildlife.

Two of Whitchurch-Stouffville's older animal bylaws (muzzling of vicious dogs and animal control) have been combined and updated to reflect today's new best practices.

 A major change in the bylaw are the new fees for the licensing of dangerous and menacing dogs.

 “One of the most important updates to be highlighted in the bylaw is the increased cost of licensing dangerous and menacing dogs,” Whitchurch-Stouffville’s manager of municipal law enforcement Linda Mainprize said. “We have increased the fees for dog license tags to $200 for dangerous dogs and $100 for menacing dogs.”

New responsibilities for animal owners have also been added to the bylaw. Some of the substantial changes include tethering. According to the bylaw, no person in the town shall keep a dog tethered on a chain, rope or similar restraining device of less than 3 metres in length, and no person shall leave a dog tethered or tied on public property and unattended while tethered or tied on any premises where the public has access.

No person shall keep or harbour any pigeons in residential, institutional, industrial or commercial zoned property in town.

If a dog is declared menacing or dangerous by the manager of municipal law enforcement a muzzle order will be issued.

In addition to the animal owner’s responsibilities, other new sections include power for the town.

The town has the right to recover from the owner of the animal all costs incurred in applying and enforcing the bylaw.

The bylaw authorizes the town entry onto a property to carry out an inspection.

Upon a first conviction, a fine of not less than $300 and not more than $50,000; the animal control bylaw (2017-57-RE) can be found on the town’s website at townofws.ca/bylaw_animalcontrol.  The enactment of a revised animal control bylaw report can be found on the town’s website at whitchurch.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/117636.