ST. PAUL - After several back and forth discussions, the Town of St. Paul's new Animal Control Bylaw has gone through its third and final reading.
Following a public hearing held on May 23, council further discussed the bylaw at its June 12 meeting. The new bylaw is a combination of the former Cat Bylaw and Dog Bylaw. On June 26, council approved the amended document.
During the Monday night council meeting, Director of Protective Services/Municipal Enforcement Trevor Kotowich spoke to amendments that had been made to the document following first reading and further discussions.
He noted changes around animal licensing fees, and the removal of the lifetime fee if pets are spayed or neutered, and also micro-chipped. The lifetime licensing is now free for these pets, which is being done to promote responsible pet ownership.
A six-month time period for people whose pets have a litter of animals and exceed the maximum number of animals allowed - which is three cats or three dogs, or a total of four pets - was also decreased to three months. Pets also have until they are three months old to be registered.
Highlighted throughout the draft bylaw were new additions that had not previously been part of the previous Cat or Dog bylaws. One of the new items in the bylaw prohibits residents from feeding feral animals, for example.
The bylaw states, "No person shall bait, feed or take any actions that may attract feral or wild on private or public the use of bird feeders, which is allowed on the that they are set out at a height that is only to birds."
Attempting to address issues regarding the feral cat population in St. Paul has been an ongoing part of the discussions around the new Animal Control Bylaw.
An off-leash dog area section has also been added to the bylaw, although since the Town of St. Paul does not have a designated off-leash park, this section is not currently applicable. Kotowich noted he included it so that when it is needed, it would be available.
A motion for second reading of the bylaw as amended was carried by councillors who had been both in attendance at the public hearing, and were in attendance on June 26. Councillors in attendance on June 26 but who were not in attendance at the public hearing, which included Coun. Sid Sood, Coun. Nathan Taylor, and Coun. Brad Eamon, were not allowed to vote on the subsequent readings of the bylaw.
A third and final reading to approve the new bylaw was also carried on June 26.
"The whole bottom line is to have responsible pet ownership," said Mayor Maureen Miller, following the final reading.
A copy of the new Animal Control Bylaw is available through the Town of St. Paul.
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