125/2025 Animal Control

Municipality of North Norfolk, Manitoba

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot 895d0d9cc960 · verified 2026-06-09 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH NORFOLK BY-LAW NO. 125/2025 ANIMAL CONTROL BY-LAW BEING A BY-LAW OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH NORFOLK TO PROVIDE FOR THE REGULATION, LICENSING AND CONTROL OF ANIMALS WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH NORFOLK. WHEREAS Section 232 (1) of The Municipal Act S.M. 1996, c 58 (the "Act") provides, in relevant part as follows: Spheres of Jurisdiction 232(1) A Council may pass By-Laws for municipal purposes respecting the following matters: a) The safety, health, protection and well-being of people and the safety and protection of property; k) Wild and domestic animals and activities in relation to them, including by-laws differentiating on the basis of sex, breed, size or weight; o) The enforcement of by-laws AND WHEREAS it is deemed advisable to provide for the regulation, licensing and control of animals within the limits of the Municipality of North Norfolk; NOW THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED AND IT IS HEREBY ENACTED as a By-Law of the Municipality of North Norfolk in Council duly assembled, as follows: 1. This By-Law may be referred to as the Municipality of North Norfolk Animal By-Law. 2. In this By-Law, unless the context otherwise requires, (a) "animal" refers to a dog, cat, or any other animal council deems suitable for the purposes of this by-law, which may be either domestic or wild. (b) "Animal Control Officer or (ACO)" means the person authorized by Council to maintain a pound or to carry out any provision of this By-Law, and includes any person acting as an assistant to, or under the direction of the Animal Control Officer; (c) "authorized person" means any person appointed or employed by the Municipality of North Norfolk or the assistant, employee or agent of any such appointee or employee, to carry out any provision of this by-law of any contracts or agreements entered into for the purpose of carrying out any provision of this By- Law; (d) "Breeder" means a person who keeps animals for the purpose of breeding and selling them. (e) "CAO" means the Chief Administrative Officer, or Assistant CAO, of the Municipality of North Norfolk; (f) "cats" means all species of the animal commonly known by that name, and includes the female as well as the male of every breed or classification thereof; (g) "commercial kennel" means any premises upon which dogs or cats are raised, trained or kept for remuneration; (h) "council" means the Council of the Municipality of North Norfolk, or any delegate thereof. (i) "dogs" means all species of the animal commonly known by that name, and includes the female as well as the male of every breed or classification thereof; (j) "pet" refers only to domestic cats and/or dogs. (k) "pound" means any premises authorized by Council or used or intended to be used for the confinement and care of animals found to be in contravention of any provision of this by-law; (l) "owner" means any adult person who owns, keeps or harbors an animal, or who knowingly permits or allows any other person to own, keep or harbor an animal upon premises owned, leased or occupied by him; (m) "running at large" or "run at large" means, when used in reference to an animal, lack of or absence of control of the animal by the owner, off his premises; (n) "municipality" refers to the Municipality of North Norfolk and includes the urban centres of MacGregor, Austin, Sidney, Bagot & Rossendale. Page 2 of 5 3. (a) No person shall own, harbor, keep or have in his possession or control or on his premises, more than two (2) dogs or two (2) cats over the age of three (3) months, regardless of the number of people who may inhabit the premises. (b) Subsection 3(a) hereof shall not apply to premises which are zoned "R/A" Rural Agricultural, provided that where, in the discretion of the Animal Control Officer, the number of cats or dogs on any such premises constitutes a nuisance or danger to the public or to the animals, the Animal Control Officer may exercise his discretion to apprehend and impound all or some of the cats or dogs. (c) Subsection 3(a) hereof shall not apply to a person who owns, harbors, keeps or has in his possession or control on his premises, more than the maximum of dogs or cats outlined if they were in possession of such animals prior to the adoption of this by-law unless under 3(b) they become a nuisance or danger to any persons. Any person exceeding the number of animals in his possession at the passing of this by- law must eventually fall within the guidelines of subsection 3(a) if any of the animals are adopted, given away or die. (d) Breeders, be they Commercial or Hobby, and/or Commercial Kennels, must have approval from Council prior to beginning operations, as well as satisfying all provincial licensing requirements as laid out in the Manitoba Animal Care Act Part 5. 4. (a) The owner of every pet kept within the limits of the Municipality of North Norfolk shall, within one month of the time he becomes a resident of the Municipality of North Norfolk or the owner of a pet intended to be kept within the limits of the Municipality of North Norfolk, obtain from the CAO a license and tag for each pet owned by him, shall supply the CAO with such information as the CAO may require and pay the following fee therefore: i) For each male & female dog $20.00 ii) For each spayed female or neutered male dog $10.00 (b) The CAO shall supply each owner who has submitted the necessary particulars of registration, with a metal or plastic tag for each pet so licensed, which tag shall be securely fastened to a collar or harness worn by the pet for which said tag was issued. (c) No license or tag issued pursuant to the provisions hereof shall be transferable. (d) No license or tag shall be issued for any cat or dog until the owner thereof provides: i. Particulars of the cat or dog to be licensed; ii. Evidence of the inoculation of the cat or dog for rabies (cats deemed to be strictly indoor pets do not require rabies inoculation); iii. Evidence of the sex of the pet, or whether or not it has been spayed or neutered. (e) No license or tag shall be required for a pet: i. Under the age of three months; or ii. Trained and used as a service dog. (f) In the event of the loss or mutilation of a tag, or the pet has been found running at large and has been apprehended without proper license and tag, the owner shall obtain a replacement tag from the CAO upon payment of the prescribed fee. (g) No tag shall be affixed to the collar or harness of any cat or dog except the tag issued by the CAO, any personal ID tags, tags issued by a licensed veterinarian or such other tag as may be required pursuant to the laws of Manitoba or Canada. 5. (a) No owner shall permit his pet to run at large within the limits of the Municipality of North Norfolk. Page 3 of 5 (b) The owner of an unspayed female pet shall confine her within a building upon his premises when she is in heat, or shall take such other measures as may be required to prevent the congregation of animals upon his premises or in the vicinity of his premises during the time when said unspayed female is in heat. 6. No owner of a dog which, by reason of training, disposition or inclination has exhibited signs of viciousness, shall permit the dog to enter into any public place or onto any property to which the public has access, unless the said dog is muzzled, and is restrained by a leash not more than five feet in length in the hands of a person capable of exercising control of said dog. 7. In the event of an outbreak or the threat of an outbreak of rabies or any other disease which can be transmitted through animals, council may require every owner to confine his pet upon his property for such period of time as Council may determine. Council may, by resolution passed at a regular meeting or at a special meeting called for the purpose: (a) Establish premises for the confinement of animals apprehended pursuant to any provisions of this By-Law; (b) Appoint an Animal Control Officer to carry out any provisions of this By-Law; (c) Ratify an agreement respecting the above, made between it and cooperating municipalities, with an Animal Control Officer. 8. The Animal Control Officer appointed pursuant to Clause 7 hereof shall carry out such duties and shall be remunerated thereof as provided in the agreement appointing them, which duties shall include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following: (a) establishment of and maintenance of a pound for the confinement of animals apprehended pursuant to any provision of this By-Law; (b) apprehension and confinement of any animal which is running at large and which is not properly licensed and tagged; (c) care and protection of any animal during the period of its confinement after apprehension; (d) sale or destruction of any animal/pet which is not claimed by its owner or for which the owner has not paid those costs chargeable to the owner of a pet after its apprehension (e) collection and payment to the municipality of the fines and costs collected from the owner who claims a pet which has been apprehended within the limits of the Municipality of North Norfolk; (f) notification to the owner of a pet confined after apprehension, and, where the owner cannot be ascertained, preparation and posting in the general office a notice describing the pet impounded, the date of its apprehension and confinement, and the date after which said pet will be destroyed or sold unless claimed; (g) preparation and delivery to CAO of a report setting forth such information relating to his duties as council may require. (h) Notwithstanding any other By-Law to the contrary, the Animal Control Officer or a pound keeper may use a gun for the purpose of capturing any dog found running at large. 9. (a) Where a pet which is properly licensed and tagged is found running at large, the Animal Control Officer: i. may issue a warning to its owner, advising of the breach of Clause 5(a) of this By-Law; or ii. apprehend and confine the pet, and advise the owner, as soon as reasonably possible, of the fact of apprehension and confinement. (b) Where the owner of a pet apprehended and confined pursuant to this By-Law desires to re-claim the pet, he shall pay to the Animal Control Officer applicable charges as follows: i. the sum outlined in Section 10 of this By-Law for apprehension of the pet; ii. fifty cents per kilometer actually and necessarily traveled by the Animal Control Officer for the apprehension and return; iii. twenty five dollars per day or portion thereof that the pet has been confined; Page 4 of 5 iv. extraordinary costs incurred by the Animal Control Officer in apprehending the pet; v. veterinary expenses necessarily incurred for the pet during its confinement. (c) Where a pet not properly licensed and tagged is found running at large, its owner may reclaim it upon payment of the costs referred to in Paragraph (b) hereof, plus the appropriate license fee set forth in Clause 4(a) hereof. (d) Where the owner of a pet refuses to pay the costs herein before mentioned, or where the owner of the pet cannot be ascertained within 3 business days of the notice of apprehension as provided in Clause 8(f) hereof, the Animal Control Officer may: i. sell the pet to any person who will pay the applicable costs and charges, or ii. surrender the pet to a rescue or shelter for adoption or iii. destroy the pet and dispose of the carcass in the manner deemed reasonable by the Animal Control Officer. 10. Any owner who contravenes or permits the contravention of any provision of this By-Law, or who fails, refuses or neglects to comply with the requirements of this By-Law is subject, as per decision rendered by Council: (a) to a fine of Fifty Dollars, plus applicable costs, for a first offence; (b) to a fine of One Hundred Dollars, plus applicable costs, for a second offence; and (c) contravention of this by-law after second offence will result in the animal being removed by the Animal Control Officer 11. Pets must not be allowed to become a nuisance: (a) No owner shall permit his pet to run at large. (b) No owner shall permit his dog to bark or howl or his dog or cat in any other way disturb the quiet of any person or persons constituting a nuisance to the residence of other properties in the vicinity. (c) No owner shall permit his pet to defecate on any public or private property other than the property of its owner. Where a dog defecates on property other than the property of its owner, the owner shall cause such excrement to be removed immediately. If it can be ascertained that an owner's cat has done the same, the owner shall cause such excrement to be removed immediately. (d) No owner shall permit his pet to damage public or private property other than that of its owner. (e) No person shall own, keep or harbor any pet (other than a pet under the age of three (3) months or a service dog) for which a license has not been issued for the current license year. (f) No owner shall harbor or keep any vicious dog unless such dog is securely fastened and properly muzzled at all times in such place and in such manner that it does not endanger the safety of any human or animal. (g) No owner shall permit his pet to disturb or annoy any person(s) or animal anywhere by biting, wounding or pursuing. (h) No owner shall permit his pet to be on any school ground, playground or other public property unless the pet is on a leash of a length not to extend more than six (6) feet and in actual custody and control of the owner or some other competent person permitted by the owner to have the pet. (i) Every owner shall be responsible for having his pet(s) vaccinated against rabies, unless 4(d) ii applies. (j) If a female pet while in heat is deemed a nuisance, the license shall be cancelled forthwith and terminated by the ACO unless the pet is placed in a public kennel operated for the care and maintenance of pets. 12. Notwithstanding any By-Law to the contrary the officer in charge of the Rural Detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police may grant a license to the Animal Control Officer to discharge firearms within the limits of the urban areas of MacGregor, Austin, Sidney, Bagot and Rossendale for the purpose of eradicating or controlling any dog or nuisance animal found causing damage to public or personal property or creating a nuisance. 13. This By-Law shall not be interpreted so as to limit, restrict or curtail in any manner the rights of any person contained in the provisions of The Animal Liability Act of the Continuing Consolidation of Manitoba Statutes, and amendments hereto. 14. By-Law No. 23/2016 of the Municipality of North Norfolk is hereby repealed. Page 5 of 5 DONE AND PASSED in Council assembled at the Council Chambers of the Municipality of North Norfolk at MacGregor in the Province of Manitoba, this 12th day of March, A.D. 2025. MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH NORFOLK ________________"original signed by Ed Heppner"________________ Reeve "original signed by Theresa Bergen"__________________________ Chief Administrative Officer Read a first time this 12th day of February A.D. 2025 Read a second time this 12th day of March A.D. 2025 Read a third time this 12th day of March A.D. 2025