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Village of Consort
Cat Bylaw A778
Page 1
VILLAGE OF CONSORT
BYLAW A778
Being a Bylaw of the Village of Consort in the Province of Alberta to regulate and restrain the running
at large of cats.
WHEREAS pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Government Act R.S.A. 2000, c-M - 26, as amended a
municipal council may pass any bylaw with respect to the regulation and restriction of wild or domestic animals and
activities in relation to them.
AND WHEREAS the Council of the Village of Consort deems it necessary to implement fees for the carrying out its
powers and duties within the corporate limits of the Village of Consort;
NOW THEREFORE the Council of the Village of Consort duly assembled enacts as follows:
1.
Title:
1.1
This Bylaw may be cited as the "Cat Bylaw".
2.
Definitions
2.1
In this Bylaw, unless the context other requires:
a)
"Animal Control Officer" - means a person employed from time to time by the Contractor under the
contract between the Village and the Contractor to enforce the provisions of this bylaw, or a person so
appointed by the Village of Consort.
b)
"Village" - means the Municipal Corporation of the Village of Consort or the area contained within
the boundary thereof as the context requires.
c)
"Cat" - means either a male or female feline family.
d)
"Owner" - means an individual or body corporate who has legal title to the animal, and includes any
person who has possession or custody of the animal, either temporarily or permanently, or suffers the
animal to remain on his/her premises.
e)
"Runs at Large" - means off the premises of the owner and not under the control of any person.
3.
Responsibility of Animal Owner
3.1
The owner of an animal:
a)
Shall ensure that the animal is not running at large, and
b)
Shall not allow or permit his cat to damage public property or the property of any other person.
4.
Animal Control Authority
4.1
The Animal Control Officer shall keep an up to date record of all complaints, notices, and reports regarding
cats and a similar record of their disposition.
4.2
The Animal Control Officer, A Peace Officer, or a Bylaw Enforcement Officer may seize and impound any
cat running at large.
5.
Interference with Enforcement of a Bylaw
5.1
No person, whether or not he is the Owner of a cat which is being or has been pursued or captured shall:
a)
interfere with or attempt to obstruct an Animal Control Officer, Peace Officer, or Bylaw Enforcement
Officer who is attempting to capture or who has captured any cat in accordance with the provisions of
this bylaw; or
b)
open the van or vehicle in which cats captured for impoundment have been placed, so as to allow or
attempt to allow any cat to escape therefrom; or
c) remove or attempt to remove any cat from the possession of the Animal Control Officer, Peace
Officer, or Bylaw Enforcement Officer.
Village of Consort
Cat Bylaw A778
Page 2
6.
Release of Impounded Cats
6.1
The Village shall keep all impounded cats for a period of at least 72 hours, including the day of
impounding. Sundays and Statutory Holidays shall not be included in the computation of the 72 hour
period. During this period, any cat may be redeemed, by its Owner, upon payment to the Village of:
a)
the appropriate fine, where applicable; and
b)
kennel fees for every 24 hour period or fraction thereof that the cat has been impounded.
6.2
At the expiry of the 72 hour period, any cat not redeemed may be destroyed or sold and the money kept
by the Village.
6.3
The Animal Control Officer shall report any apparent illness, communicable disease, injury, or unhealthy
condition of any cat to a veterinarian and act upon his/her recommendation. The owner, if known, shall be
held responsible for all charges resulting therefrom.
7.
Trapping of Cats
7.1
Any person who has a complaint about a cat running at large or causing damage to his or her property,
may obtain a cat trap from the Village of Consort.
7.2
Complainants, upon receiving a cat trap, shall comply with the Procedure and Guidelines for the Trapping
of Stray Cats, annexed as Schedule "A" to this Bylaw, and such other terms and conditions as the Village
may require.
7.3
The provision of a cat trap to a Complainant shall be at the sole discretion of the Village.
8.
Fees or Penalties
8.1
The fees charges to the owner, as per Schedule "B" Cat Bylaw Fees shall be payable in advance or upon
receipt of invoice.
9.
Other Provisions
9.1
No person shall:
a)
entice a cat to run at large; or
b)
tease a cat caught in a cat trap; or
c)
throw or poke any object into a cat trap when a cat is caught therein; or
d)
fail to check a set trap on his premises hourly, or as otherwise required by the Village; or
e)
leave a set cat trap unattended, except as authorized by the Village; or
f)
leave a cat trap set between the hours of 11PM on one day to 6AM the following day, unless
authorized by the Village; or
g)
fail to deliver a trapped animal to the Village within 24 hours of the time it is trapped.
9.2
Any person who contravenes this section is guilty of an offence and upon conviction shall be liable for a
fine of $500.00.
9.3
The Animal Control Officer, Peace Officer or Bylaw Enforcement Officer may enforce the provisions of this
bylaw and, where he/she has reasonable grounds to believe that a person has committed a breach of any
provision of this Bylaw, he/she may issue an offence ticket to an Owner of a cat alleged to have
committed one or more of the offences hereinbefore described designating the specific penalty for such
offence.
10
Severability
10.1
Despite that any section or sections of this bylaw, or any part or parts thereof, may be found by any court
of law to be invalid or illegal that section or sections or part or parts thereof shall be deemed to be
severable, and all other sections of this bylaw, or parts thereof, are separate and independent there-from
and enacted as such.
This Bylaw will come into force and effect on the date of successful third reading and signing in
accordance with the Municipal Government Act (R.S.A. 2000, c. M-26) as amended.
Village of Consort
Cat Bylaw A778
Page 3
Received first reading this _______ day of _____________, 2012
Received second reading this _____ day of _____________, 2012
Received third and final reading by unanimous consent of all members of Council present this _______ day of
____________, 2012
Village of Consort
Original signed by the Mayor and CAO on ______________________ ___, 201__
_________________________________
_____________________________________
Wayne Walker
Monique Jeffrey
Mayor
CAO
Village of Consort
Cat Bylaw A778
Page 4
VILLAGE OF CONSORT
PROCEDURE AND GUIDELINES FOR TRAPPING OF STRAY CATS
SCHEDULE "A"
1. Identification Service
1.1
The Village will offer to residents of the Village, at a nominal fee, a "Cat Identification Tag
Service" for a period of 30 working days prior to any cat traps being released to a Complainant of
the Village of Consort. These identification tags will be available on a continuing basis once the
cat traps have been released.
2. Procedure and Guidelines
2.1
A citizen of the Village of Consort who is annoyed with damages done to his or her property as a
result of a stray cat may telephone the Village and voice a complaint, requesting a cat trap.
2.2
The Complainant will attend the office of the Village and, if the complaint is found to be valid, the
Complainant will be requested to sign the form and an agreement provided by the Village, and
the Village will then provide a cat trap to the Complainant.
2.3
The Complainant will be required to pay a $20.00 deposit to the Village. This deposit will be
returned to the Complainant at such time as the trap is returned and is found to be in the same
condition it was at the time it was obtained from the Village.
2.4
The Complainant will set the cat trap in a place shaded from the hot sun, on the premises of the
Complainant for a period of not more than 72 hour, after which time he or she will return
the trap to the Village.
2.5
It will be the responsibility of the Complainant to check the trap hourly, or as approved by the
Village and, if an animal is caught, the Complainant must bring the animal and the trap to
the Village within 24 hours following the trapping.
2.6
The Village may enter and inspect the premises of the Complainant and ascertain if a cat trap has
been properly placed or set and if a cat has been trapped.
2.7
The Complainant shall not leave a trap set on his or her property unattended when absent
therefrom for any period of time whatsoever, except as approved by the Village.
2.8
The Complainant shall check the trap prior to 11:00 p.m. on each night that the trap is on the
property and, if no animal is caught, he or she shall, unless otherwise approved by the Village,
trip the trap and render it harmless until 6:00 a.m. the following day, when the Complainant
may again set the trap. No traps are to be set from 4:00 p.m. Friday to 8:00 a.m. Sunday or
Monday on a long weekend.
2.9
At such time as the Town takes possession of a trapped cat, the Town will try to locate an
identifying tag or tattoo on the cat and, if found, will make every effort to contact the Owner
of the cat in order to report that it has been impounded by the Village.
2.10
If an identification tag or tattoo cannot be found on the impounded cat, the Village will keep the
cat for a period of at least 72 hours. After said 72 hour period, it shall be up to the discretion of
the Village as to whether or not the trapped cat shall be kept, sold to a new owner, or be
euthanized. However, notwithstanding the care taken to ensure return of an Owner's cat, if a
trapped cat shall be found by the Town to be wild and dangerous and/or seriously injured, it may
be euthanized immediately upon being impounded.
2.11
At such time as a cat owner attends the Village office for the purpose of picking up his or her cat
which was running at large, an offence ticket will be issued in accordance with this Bylaw.
At the time of returning a cat to its owner, the Village will make the Owner aware of the
Identification Tag Service offered by the Village.
Village of Consort
Cat Bylaw A778
Page 5
2.12
It is the responsibility of the Complainant to ensure that, once a cat is trapped on his or her
property, that said cat shall not be abused contrary to section 9.1(a) and 9.1(b) of this Bylaw, by
anyone on his or her property or anyone coming onto his or her property.
2.13
Any person seeing a cat in a trap being abused is encouraged to telephone and report the abuse
to the Village, at which time the Village will immediately attend at the premises where the abuse
has taken place and will remove the cat and the trap forthwith.
2.14
The Village will not provide service after normal business hours.
2.15
No cat traps will be provided by the Village to a Complainant when weather conditions are, or are
forecast to be, colder than 0 degrees Celsius within the 72 hour period form the time of issue.
2.16
Any person who abuses, teases or pokes an animal in a cat trap or is causing pain, suffering, or
injury to any animal may be charged with an offence under section 446 of the Criminal Code of
Canada.
Village of Consort
Cat Bylaw A778
Page 6
VILLAGE OF CONSORT
CAT BYLAW FEES AND PENALTIES
SCHEDULE "B"
Yearly Cat License
$10.00
Cat Running at Large
$50.00
1st Offence
$100.00
2nd Offence
$200.00
3rd Offence
Failure to Obtain Cat Tag
$50.00