WATERLOO REGION ? Local officials want to see the community take better care of their furry friends.
The cities of Kitchener and Waterloo, along with the Kitchener-Waterloo and North Waterloo Humane Society, may implement new rules that would impact almost anyone involved with pets.
It could mean everything from cat licensing to permitting only shelter/rescued animals to be sold in pet stores.
?These are all highly political, highly emotionally charged issues potentially,? Waterloo Coun. Karen Scian said.
Monday, the two councils voted at separate meetings to collaborate with the humane society to deal, in particular, with a disastrous cat overpopulation problem.
They?re calling it a responsible pet ownership strategy. No decisions have been made.
?Across Canada about 40 per cent of cats that enter shelters are euthanized,? said Jack Kinch, executive director of the humane society. ?We can?t point a finger at anybody.
?It is a community problem and it needs to be addressed in a collaborative manner.?
Locally, more than 4,000 cats were taken to the humane society last year. That?s two-thirds of all animals that ended up at the shelter. About 1,600 would have been euthanized, based on Kinch?s statistic.
Sixty-three per cent of cats don?t have a microchip or other identification and less than one per cent go home. That compares to up to 40 per cent of dogs who are reunited with owners.
Not all of the proposals for the pet strategy will be popular.
?Cat licensing will be something that you as councillors will get pushback on from the community,? Kinch said.
Kinch said the idea has historically been controversial. Many owners argue their indoor cats don?t need identification, he said.
?We have a number of individuals that say the cat never gets out that we return (a cat to) three or four times a year,? Kinch said.
The strategies are expected to be a combination of bylaw and enforcement initiatives, licensing and education.
This could include:
?? cat licensing
?? banning the sale of pets that aren?t spayed or neutered
?? permitting only shelter/rescued animals to be sold in pet stores
?? licensing breeders
?? making spay/neuter services more accessible and affordable
?? managing feral/stray cat populations with trap/spay/neuter/release programs
?? enforcement of bylaws including fines
?Responsible pet ownership is about placing the emphasis of responsibility on pet owners and educating them about the health and safety of their pets, with significant benefit for the community at large,? said Shayne Turner, Kitchener?s director of enforcement.
Kitchener and Waterloo contract the humane society to provide animal control. In 2013, Waterloo will spend about $288,296 on animal control. Kitchener will spend about $328,000 for the humane society?s services including animal control and a spay/neuter program.
In 2012, the humane society had operating revenue of $1.5 million. Forty per cent came from program and adoption revenues and 61 per cent from community support.
It?s expected any changes would involve input from the public and stakeholders. No time frames have been determined.
In Cambridge, animal control is dealt with by the Cambridge Humane Society. The city does not license cats.
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