A By-law is a rule or law that is put in place by the City of Timmins to ensure that our community remains safe and orderly. The City of Timmins Enforcement Services Division is responsible for enforcing our by-laws. Staff enforce by-laws by investigating complaints and responding to the concerns of citizens.

Each month, we'll explore a different by-law and what it means for you. This month, we're looking at the City's Dog and Cat By-law 2021-8593

The purr-fect number

Did you know that the City’s Dog and Cat By-law limits the number of cats and dogs you can keep in a single-family dwelling? Each person (or family) in one house or unit can keep 6 domestic cats and 4 domestic dogs. If the property has more than 1 dwelling on the parcel of land, like a duplex or an apartment, it’s 2 cats or dogs per unit.

But why? While a house full of furry friends would be arguably delightful, municipalities place restrictions on pet-numbers to cut down on potential problems domesticated dogs or cats can cause. Feces, barking, damage to property and, at worst, aggressive behaviour can become an issue and while your cat may have a quiet purr, the purr-pose of a by-law is to provide a set of rules for the community.

Each furry friend also needs a license that is renewed annually and expires on December 31 of each year and can be purchased at from the Timmins Humane Society, PADS K9 Protection and Detection Services, Spoiled Rotten, or the Timmins Animal Hospital. Service Timmins does not sell cat or dog licenses.
The City’s Enforcement Services Supervisor oversees the contact for animal control, which is contracted and enforced by PADS K9 Protection and Detection Services.

I ran, I ran so far away

No pet owner is allowed to let their dog or cat run at large in the City of Timmins. Dogs should be kept on a leash or under the direct control of a competent person. For the purpose of the By-law, a dog or cat is considered “running at large” if they’re found in any place other than the premises of the owner and not on a leash or under control.
And it stands to reason that letting your dog or cat bite or attack without provocation another person or domestic animal is also not allowed.

We’ve got the scoop on poop

One sentence in the By-law is dedicated to poop, “Every owner or Guardian not being a blind person or disabled person shall immediately remove and dispose of any excrement left by their dog.” The key to understanding this sentence is to focus on what’s missing. Notice that there is no distinction about private or public property. Why? Because dog owners are expected to pick up dog poop everywhere, even in their own yard. Poop stinks and your neighbours have the right to call Service Timmins and make a formal complaint if your yard is full of doggy dumps. No matter where the droppings drop, they need to be picked up and properly disposed of to avoid odor.

Click here to learn more about the City’s Dog and Cat By-law 2021-8593.