Animal Control Services

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

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?

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.

 Report Nuisance or Injured Wildlife

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

 Wildlife Rehabilitators

Contact a Wildlife Rehabilitator in your area.

 Ontario Wildlife Rescue

• 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.