Animal Control Services

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By-law Enforcement division provides canine control services for the Township of Wellesley. Call our By-law Enforcement division at 519-699-3965 during normal business hours to report any lost or found pets. Cats and other animals are outside the authority of the Dog and Kennel By-law.

Effective April 2021, the Township of Wellesley has partnered with the Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth for services which include animal control for dogs, by-law services, and pound services. The animal control of the contract is specifically geared for dogs, with full services being provided on weekdays, and emergency services being provided on evenings, weekends, and holidays. For further information please see below.

Animal Welfare

Cruelty to any animal is not tolerated in Ontario. If you think an animal is in distress or is being abused, call: 1-833-9-ANIMAL (1-833-926-4625).

Provincial inspectors will work with local police, veterinarians, agriculture commodities and local humane societies, as appropriate, to ensure animals remain protected. Inspectors are always required to follow a standard code of conduct and, upon request, will provide identification and explain why they are attending on-site, such as for an inspection or for an investigation.

Please refer to the following weblink for the governments Animal Welfare Services or for additional information and resources.

https://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/AnimalWelfare/paws.html

Know Who to Call

1-833-9-ANIMAL

Call this number if an animal is in distress or being neglected. This includes animals that are injured, in pain, sick, suffering or abused, or lack proper care, water, food or shelter.

911 (Emergency)

Call 911 in an emergency when a life is in immediate danger or distress, such as an animal attack, animal in a hot or cold vehicle, or illegal activity such as dog or cock fighting rings.

Your Local Animal Control

Call your local animal control if a wild animal is in distress, injured or deceased, or if a wild or domestic animal is roaming on public property.

Penalties for Committing Acts of Animal Cruelty

Ontario has the strongest penalties against animal cruelty. It is an offence, for example, to:

cause or permit distress to an animal
cause harm or attempt to cause harm to a law enforcement or a service animal
knowingly or recklessly cause an animal to be exposed to undue risk of distress
promote, arrange, receive a financial benefit from, train, or permit animals to fight other animals
own or possess equipment or structures used in animal fighting or in training animals to fight
fail to comply with any applicable standards of care
obstruct an inspector or agent

As of January 1, 2020, the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act has replaced the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) Act. Transitional regulations are in place, such as carrying over the previous standards of care and administrative standards, to ensure animals are protected while long-term regulations are developed through consultation.

Basic standards of care that apply to all animals covered under the act, include requirements for:

adequate and appropriate food, water, medical attention and care
ventilation, light and protection from the elements, including harmful temperatures
sanitary conditions and space to enable natural movement and exercise
pens or enclosed structures
humane euthanasia to minimize pain and distress to animals
transportation in a manner that ensures an animal’s physical safety and general welfare

There are some exceptions to the above-listed offences related to causing distress and complying with standards of care, including hunting wildlife. A full list of exemptions can be found in the PAWS Act and its regulations.

Ontario also has additional standards of care for animals in unique circumstances like dogs that live outdoors and marine mammals such as cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises), pinnipeds (walruses, sea lions) and sea otters.

Committing an offence under the PAWS Act can result in sentences that may include up to two years in jail, fines of up to $130,000 against an individual on a first offence, or up to $500,000 against a corporation on a first offence, and a lifetime ban on animal ownership, as well as other penalties.

Our goal is to ensure that Ontario’s animals are always protected and treated a humane manner.

Animal Care Review Board

The Animal Care Review Board hears appeals from individuals whose animals have been removed under the PAWS Act, those who have been issued orders by an inspector, or those who have been served with a statement of account to cover the costs of food, veterinary care or sheltering for an animal that has been removed by the inspector.

Our provincial animal welfare inspectors are directly accountable to the Chief Animal Welfare inspector, who is in turn accountable to the Solicitor General. If you have a complaint or compliment about an inspector, please send an email to animalwelfareservices@ontario.ca.

How to Report Animal Cruelty?

Effective January 1, 2020, the Ontario government's Animal Welfare Services team handles animal protection services in the province of Ontario. For more information on Animal Welfare Services in Ontario, please visit Animal Welfare l Ontario.

To report cases of animal cruelty, abandonment or neglect, please call the Province of Ontario's 24/7 hotline at 1-833-9-ANIMAL (1-833-926-4625). In an emergency, you can also contact your local police.

Animal Control Services

The Township of Wellesley's By-law Enforcement division provides canine control services during regular business hours. Call our By-law Enforcement division at 519-699-3965 to report any lost or found pets. Cats and other animals are outside the authority of the Dog and Kennel By-law. You may also contact the Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth by calling 519-745-5615.

The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth provides animal control services for the Township of Wellesley. The Humane Society operates two Centres. The Kitchener Waterloo Centre is located at 250 Riverbend Road in Kitchener. The Stratford Perth Centre is located at 125 Griffith Road in Stratford. Both Centres can be reached by calling 519-745-5615. Please visit their website for their hours of operation and more services.

Emergency after hours services include:

Sick or injured dogs, cats and small wildlife
Vicious dogs

For emergency after hours services please call 519-745-5615 and follow the prompts.

Kennels

Wildlife

Wildlife is a natural part of this community in both the rural and settlement areas. Food and shelter are plentiful, and natural predators are limited, therefore, wildlife will continue to live near us. If we learn to share the environment and reduce problems by getting rid of sources of food and shelter on our properties, animals will make their way to a more suitable home.

Report Nuisance or Injured Wildlife

We do not offer a service to deal with nuisance or injured wildlife on private property. Residents should contact the Ministry of Natural Resources at 1-800-667-1940 for more information on how to deal with wildlife in urban areas. To find a private, local wildlife control service search "wildlife control" or "wildlife removal" on 411.ca.

To report nuisance or injured wildlife on Township property during business hours, contact the By-law Enforcement Department at 519-699-3965

Wildlife Rehabilitators

In Ontario, Wildlife Rehabilitators are authorized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry to provide temporary care to sick, injured and abandoned wildlife until they can be returned to the wild. Rehabilitators provide a significant amount of time and resources to do this work. Every effort is made by Wildlife Rehabilitators to ensure wildlife in their care do not become tame.

Contact a Wildlife Rehabilitator in your area.

Ontario Wildlife Rescue

Ontario Wildlife Rescue has two goals:

Connect people who have found injured or orphaned wild animals with those who can look after them and get them back into the wild.
Help raise money for wildlife rescue centres across Ontario.

Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program

The Township pays owners for the cost of livestock killed or injured by coyotes through the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program. If you are interested in more information about the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program please visit the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' website.

To apply for payment farmers must:

Have a valid farm business registration number (FBR)
Have a premises ID number
Report the kill within 48 hours
Retain remains of the kill for inspection by the Township's Livestock Valuer

Call 519-699-3965 or 519-699-3946 to report a kill or request more details

For questions or concerns about wildlife, you can reach the Ministry of Natural Resources at 1-800-667-1940.

Report a Dead Animal or Livestock

To report a dead animal or dead livestock on a Township road or property, call 519-699-3945. Private property owners are responsible for dead livestock on their property.

To report an animal control complaint please complete the complaints form.

Updates

Wednesday May 26^th, 2021 Township Staff reached out to the Solicitor General’s Office responsible for Provincial Animal Welfare Services regarding allegations received indicating animal welfare concerns with two (2) specific kennels within the Township of Wellesley. The Solicitor General’s Office advised that, in response to reports and complaints, they inspected the kennels in question earlier this month. They further advised Township staff that they have no issues or concerns on either kennel.

We will continue to be in contact with the Solicitor General’s Office for Provincial Animal Welfare Services as needed, for any concerns within Wellesley Township. To date, we have no bylaw complaints registered with the Township regarding any kennel, whether licensed or unlicensed.

As always, we do not tolerate any animal cruelty, and welcome substantiated complaints of any licensed or unlicensed kennels in Wellesley Township. These complaints should be submitted to: Compliment or Complaint - Wellesley or Report it - Wellesley. All substantiated complaints will be investigated.

If anyone in Ontario thinks an animal is in distress or is being abused, they should call 1-833-9-ANIMAL (264625) as soon as possible.