City Looking At Amalgamating And Modernizing Dog Bylaws

Questions from a couple of councillors has Administration looking at revamping not only the Dog Bylaw but also the Dangerous Dog Bylaw and amalgamating the two bylaws into a single updated bylaw.

The first question was posed some time ago by Councillor Dawn Luhning about the rules and enforcement of dogs being off leash.

The question came just over two years after her own dog - that was properly leashed at the time - was attacked by a dog that was not leashed.

Councillor Luhning’s concerns - although now over two years old - registered a loud approval from dog owners and non-dog owners in the community.

The second question came from Councillor Kim Robinson about the rules regarding when people had to licence their dogs.

Councillor Robinson asked for clarification to the licensing of dogs because it appeared there was no age limit as to when dogs needed to be registered. The present Bylaw looked like newly born pups had to be licensed, he said.

In a written report answering Councillor Robinson’s questions about no age for licensing Administration said at the present time that is correct.

Under Bylaw 4495 (the Dog Bylaw) there is no age limit imposed on the owners to register their dogs. A dog is to be registered when the owner takes ownership.

Administration is in the process of drafting a new bylaw that would bring both the Dog Bylaw (Bylaw 4495) and Dangerous Dog Bylaw (Bylaw 5248) under one new single bylaw.

The Dog Bylaw was passed in 1987 and the Dangerous Dog Bylaw was passed in 2006.

The report stated across Canada require a dog licence be issued between 3 months (lowest) and 6 months (highest). However, Moose Jaw’s present Dog Bylaw does not prescribe any specific age when a dog must be licensed.

Dog owners have told MJ Independent that when they contacted City Hall they were given different answers as to when a dog needed to be licensed.

The answers ranged from when the dog was spayed or neutered as a puppy, three months, six months and up to one year-old.

All of which appear to be an incorrect interpretation of the byelaw according to Monday’s report to Council.

The new amalgamated and “modernized” Dog Bylaw has a proposed age limit is 6 months, which can be changed by Council the report stated.

I needs to be noted that in 2019 the City reminded dog owners regarding the rules surrounding dog ownership.

Those reminders came shortly after the debate about allowing dogs to legally be in Crescent Park - one of the concerns raised at that time was that there were too many irresponsible, dog owners failing to clean up after their pets.

Council discussion was limited to Councillor Robinson acknowledging the response to his enquiry and stating “…it looks like it is in the works thank you.”