Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728 – 2025 Update

Introduction

Council gave first reading to a new Animal Control Bylaw on July 28, to replace the existing Pound and Animal Control Bylaw 2398, which dates back to 1995. See the new draft bylaw at the link below.

Draft Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728

If you have any comments or questions regarding the draft bylaw, please contact Gary Buxton, Director of Planning & Community Services at gbuxton@salmonarm.ca

The draft bylaw will be reviewed in the coming months by both the Environmental Advisory Committee and the Agricultural Advisory Committee, prior to coming back to Council in the Fall for final approval. Any comments received via email will also be shared with Council.

Background:

Since the existing Pound and Animal Control Bylaw No. 2398 was adopted by Council in 1995, a lot has changed, including bringing animal control “in house” rather than through a contractor. The new bylaw:

Deletes a number of obsolete provisions (including how cattle needed to be dealt with if impounded – which has never been done);
Modernizes the bylaw;
Deals with dangerous dogs consistent with Provincial legislation;
Deals with backyard chickens and beekeeping; and
Addresses a number of other items that are not currently addressed (such as feeding wildlife).

A more detailed summary of the bylaw is provided below:

Section 4

Keeping of livestock is limited only to agricultural areas
Livestock must be contained and cannot be at large
Allows for the keeping of poultry and rabbits in residential areas
The allowable number of poultry and rabbits increases with the size of the property
Roosters are not permitted
Standards for the location and setbacks relating to enclosure for poultry and rabbits
These include setbacks from homes on adjacent properties
Backyard poultry cannot create noise and nuisance for neighbours
Prohibits the slaughter of animals outdoors
Provides setback standards for any manure storage areas
Limits on the number of bee hives allowed in residential areas
Has standards on setbacks and fencing for beehives
Provides limits on pigeons in residential areas setbacks to enclosures
Provides a prohibition on feeding wildlife but allows for bird feeders

Sections 5 & 6

Deals with issues related to dogs
There are no limits or requirements related to cats
Additional staff resources would be needed to deal with licencing of cats
The licencing and tag requirements for dogs are essentially the same as the current bylaw
The limit of number of dogs at four (4) is the same as the current bylaw
Require that a dog owner maintain control of their dogs at all times and kept on a leash
Prohibits riding / skateboarding in public with a tethered dog (for safety reasons)

Section 7

Provides limitations about dogs being off leash in parks and open spaces, where there are signed restrictions on dogs

Section 8

Outlines that owners should not allow their dogs to bark and create noise nuisances, either continuously for more than 10 minutes or sporadically for more than 20 minutes
Make clear the requirements for picking up after your dog (unchanged from the current bylaw)
Requires that owners don’t leave dogs in cars or enclosures in either extremely hot or extremely cold weather

Section 9

Prohibits owners from taking dangerous or aggressive dogs to public parks and open spaces
Outline the process for designating a nuisance dog and how that designation is then removed
Outline the process for designating an aggressive dog and how that designation is then removed, as well as additional requirements for when an aggressive dog is in public
Deals with dangerous dogs, and these provisions run in tandem with the provisions for this issue in the Community Charter (Division 6, s.s. 47-49)
There is a requirement to microchip so that if a dangerous dog is sold, then there is a mechanism to alert other people and jurisdictions

Sections 10 and 11

Address the impoundment of dogs at a pound (currently the City uses a pound at the City of Enderby)
How dogs can be retrieved, and when the City can make available for adoption or euthanize animals left at the pound

Euthanization would be an absolute last resort

Section 14

Allows for Council to consider variances to the limitations on numbers of animals upon a written request and a motion of Council. This would allow some flexibility
The variance option is only with respect to animal numbers

It is also proposed that the dog licence fee increases from $17 to $30 (decreased to $20 if paid in January of each year) and from $35 to $50 for unneutered/unspayed dogs.

Fines associated with the Animal Control Bylaw No. 4728 are generally set high enough to have a punitive impact but not to be extraordinary, except in the case of dangerous dogs, when the fines can be as high as $2,500.