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The Corporation of the Township of Southgate
By-law Number 2026-066
being a by-law to regulate the keeping, control, and welfare of certain classes of
animals within the Township of Southgate
Whereas, the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O, 2001, c25 as amended, permits a
municipality to pass by-laws respecting animals and the protection of persons and
property; and
Whereas, the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O, 2001, c25 as amended, permits a
municipality to pass a by-law regulating or prohibiting with respect to the being at
large or trespassing of animals and to provide for the seizure, impounding and sale
of such animals; and
Whereas the Council of the Township of Southgate deems it expedient to prohibit
and to control or regulate certain classes of animals;
Now therefore the Council of the Township of Southgate hereby enacts as follows:
1. Short Title
1.1 This by-law shall be known as the "Exotic Animal By-law"
2. Definitions
2.1 In this by-law:
"Animal" shall mean any non-human vertebrate or invertebrate
"Cat" shall mean a male or female feline of any breed of domesticated cat or
crossbreed of domesticated cat
"Control" shall mean care and control of an animal
"Council" means the elected Council of the Corporation of the Township of
Southgate
"Domestic Animal" shall mean an animal that has been tamed to live with
humans
"Domestic Fowl" shall mean any feathered vertebrate animal living on or near
the habitation of humans not in the wild and shall include but not be limited to
chickens, including hens and roosters, ducks, geese, turkeys and pigeons
"Domestic Pet" shall mean a domestic animal, such as a dog or cat, kept for
pleasure rather than utility purposes
"Dwelling" shall mean a building or structure or part of a building or structure,
occupied or capable of being occupied in whole or in part for the purpose of
human habitation
"Endangered Species" shall mean an animal or plant existing in such small
numbers that they are in danger of becoming extinct from either natural or
human causes
"Officer" shall mean an officer of the OPP or the Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals or an Animal Control Officer, or a By-law Enforcement Officer
appointed by Council to enforce municipal by-laws
"Owner" shall mean any person who keeps, possesses, harbours an animal or
allows the animal to remain on their premises, and for the purpose of this bylaw
shall include any animal who fosters an animal from a recognized animal shelter
or rescue; and where the owner is a minor, the person responsible for the
custody of the minor and "owns" has a corresponding meaning
"Premises" shall mean the entire lot on which a single dwelling unit building or
multi-dwelling unit building is situated
"Public Property" means all lands owned by the Township, any local boards,
corporations owned or controlled by the township and includes all Crown lands
"Township" shall mean the Corporation of the Township of Southgate
"Wildlife" shall mean any animal which is wild by nature and not normally
domesticated
3. General Provisions
3.1 No person shall own, harbour, possess, keep sell or offer to sell any animal
listed in Schedule "A" as a pet or for any other purpose or for any period of
time:
3.1.1 Unless the identified type of animal that is being kept is kept at a
permanent residence of the owner that is located in an area that is
designated appropriately in accordance with the Township of Southgate
Zoning By-law.
3.2 No owner shall keep horses, domestic fowl, cattle, bison, goats, swine, mink,
sheep, mules or similar livestock within the Township, unless the property is
designated appropriately in the Township of Southgate Zoning By-law.
4. Exceptions
4.1 Section 3.1 shall not apply to the following:
4.1.1 Premises operated by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals
4.1.2 A veterinary hospital under the control of a licensed veterinarian
4.1.3 Any person holding a license under any statute of the Legislature of
Ontario or the Government of Canada which permits the keeping of animals,
identified in Schedule "A" under stated conditions.
5. Enforcement
5.1 Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with the provisions of this
by-law is guilty of an offence and upon conviction is liable to a set fine as
provided by the Provincial Offences Act R.S.O. 1990, Chapter P.33 as amended.
5.2 No person shall hinder or obstruct or attempt to hinder or obstruct an Officer
who is exercising a power or performing a duty under this by-law.
6. Validity and Severability
6.1 If any provision of this by-law is declared by any court or tribunal of
competent jurisdiction to be illegal or inoperative, in whole or in part in
particular circumstances, the balance of the by-law or its application in other
circumstances, shall not be affected and shall continue in full force and effect.
7. Administration
7.1 This by-law shall come into effect upon the date that the by-law is passed
and enacted.
7.2 This by-law shall be referred to as the Exotic Animal By-law.
7.3 That by-law 47-2004 be repealed and replaced.
Read a first, second and third time and finally passed this 5th day of August
2026.
_________________________
Brian Milne - Mayor
_________________________
Lindsey Green - Clerk
Original Signed By
Original Signed By
Schedule A
By-law 2026-066
No person shall own, keep, harbour, possess, sell or offer for sale any animal
listed below as a pet or for any other purposes or for any period of time.
a) All non-human primates, including gorillas, monkeys, gibbons etc.;
b) All Felidae, except for domestic cats;
c) All Canidae, except the domestic dog;
d) All artiodactylous including goats, sheep, cattle, bison, llamas and alpacas
unless identified in the Township of Southgate Zoning by-law as being
permitted on the zoned property;
e) All domestic fowl living in or near the habitation of humans and not being
wild, including but not limited to chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons,
roosters and other fowl except in areas identified in the Township of
Southgate Zoning By-law permitted on the zoned property;
f)
All mustelids, including but not limited to skunks, weasels, otters, badgers
etc.
g) All marsupials, including but not limited to opossums and kangaroos;
h) All bats;
i)
All ursids, i.e bears;
j)
All hyenas;
k) All snapping turtles;
l)
All elephants;
m) All of the families of Pythonidae or Boidae;
n) All poisonous or venomous snakes;
o) All poisonous or venomous arachnids, including but not limited to spiders;
p) All crocodilians including but not limited to alligators or crocodiles;
q) All poisonous or venomous lizards;
r) All lizards that attain a mature adult length greater than 2 metres; or
s) Any endangered species as identified by the Canadian Wildlife Service.