Pet bylaw delay frustrates Winnipeg animal shelters

The City of Winnipeg's plans to revamp its pet bylaw is being delayed, frustrating the owner of at least one local animal shelter.

The city committee that is overseeing the revised bylaw was supposed to meet on Monday, but the city's Animal Services Agency says it needs more time to consult with stakeholders.

The agency's chief operating officer, Leland Gordon, confirmed to CBC News that he will ask for an extension at Monday's meeting.

If passed, the new Responsible Pet Ownership bylaw could make cat licensing mandatory. Owners would have to start buying licences for their pets as early as Jan. 1, 2014.

The licenses would cost $15 a year for cats who have been spayed or neutered or $50 for those who have not.

But D'Arcy Johnston of D'Arcy's A.R.C. (Animal Rescue Centre) says the sticking point in talks with the city has been who should get the revenue generated from licensing fees.

Johnston said the shelters need the revenue for a spay and neuter program.

"We've told the city, 'Let us take care of this for you. Let us administer it, let us put our programs in place, let us sell the licences for you. You don't have to worry about it. I mean, you're not picking up cats anyway, so why do you deserve money for it?'" he said.

The proposed bylaw suggests that net proceeds from the cat licensing program go towards funding the Winnipeg Humane Society's spay and neuter programs, as well as similar programs from partner groups.

Timeline also an issue

Johnston said another issue is when the new bylaw should take effect.

While the city wants it in place by January, he said it should be enacted in January 2015 so pet owners can adjust to the new rules.

But one thing about the proposed bylaw that Johnston likes is the provision allowing Winnipeggers to own more dogs.

The current pet bylaw says residents can own up to six dogs and cats, but no more than three of those pets can be dogs. The proposed bylaw wants to raise the maximum to four dogs.

Johnston said not that many people would want to own four dogs, since they are a lot of work, so cats could be the winners if the new bylaw is approved.

"Cats are supposed to be indoors, and we have a huge cat population problem. So if the policy changed to 'I can have six cats,' that would mean I would be able to adopt more cats per household, so hopefully we can move more cats," he said.

Overall, Johnston said he's frustrated that it's taking the city so long to modernize its pet bylaw, especially given Winnipeg's pet overpopulation problem.

"To me, right now, it's spring and we have a lot of kittens and puppies coming in," he said.

"If a new bylaw was introduced [to require] mandatory spaying and neutering [of] your animal, then maybe we wouldn't have so many."