Chapter 0224 - Exotic Animals - Prohibition

Woodstock, Ontario · adopted 2006-09-07

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot 9b748e46aa1c · verified 2026-08-23 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

Page 1 of 4 Chapter 224 September 2006 Animals Chapter 224 - Exotic Animals - Prohibition Chapter Index Article 1 - Citation 224.1.1 Short title Article 2 - Interpretation 224.2.1 Exotic animals - defined 224.2.2 Animal Control Officer - defined 224.2.3 Municipality - defined 224.2.4 Person - defined 224.2.5 Pound - defined Article 3 Keeping - Prohibition 224.3.1 Keeping - regulations - set out 224.3.2 Snake - non-venomous - over 36 inches - prohibited 224.3.3 Lizard - non-venomous - over 24 inches - prohibited Article 4 - Exemptions 224.4.1 Veterinary hospital - under care of veterinarian 224.4.2 Public pound 224.4.3 In transport - to veterinary hospital - pound 224.4.4 Circus - exhibition Article 5 - Enforcement 224.5.1 Fine - for contravention Article 6 - Repeal - Enactment 224.6.1 By-law - previous 224.6.2 Effective date Page 2 of 4 Chapter 224 September 2006 Article 1- Citation 224.1.1 Short title This Chapter may be cited as the "Exotic Animals By-law". Article 2- Interpretation 224.2.1 Exotic animals - defined "exotic animals" means any of the following class or classes of animals; a) all marsupials (such as kangaroos and opossums); b) all non-human primates (such as gorillas and monkeys); c) all feline, except the domestic cat; d) all canine, except the domestic dog; e) all viverrine (such as mongooses and civets); f) all musteline (such as minks, weasels, otters and badgers but excluding a domesticated ferret); g) all ursine (bears); h) all ungulate artiodactyla and perissodactyla, except goats, sheep, pigs and cattle (such as deer, camels, hippopotamuses and elephants); i) all hyaena; j) all pinniped (such as seals and walruses); k) all venomous snakes and all snakes of the families Boidae and Pythonidae; l) all venomous lizards; m) all ratite birds (such as ostriches); n) all diurnal and nocturnal raptorial birds (such as eagles, hawks and owls); o) all edentates (such as anteaters, sloths and armadillos); p) all bats; q) all crocodilian (such as alligators and crocodiles); and r) all venomous arachnids and spiders (such as tarantulas, scorpions and mites); s) all turtles in the families Chelydridae, Dermochelyidae, and Cheloniidae; t) wild or non-domesticated animals, whether or not raised or kept in captivity, and includes, but is not limited to, wolf, bobcat or mountain lion, fox, cougar, skunk, and all birds, the keeping of which is prohibited in the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, c.22, and regulations thereto, and all animals, the keeping of which is prohibited in the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997, c.41, and regulations thereto. Page 3 of 4 Chapter 224 September 2006 224.2.2 Animal Control Officer - defined "Animal Control Officer" means a person appointed by the Municipality as a Municipal Law Enforcement Officer and a person whose duties include the administration and enforcement of this Chapter. 224.2.3 Municipality - defined "Municipality" means The Corporation of the City of Woodstock. 224.2.4 Person - defined "person" means any person over the age of eighteen years or, when a person is a minor, shall mean the person responsible for the minor. Person shall also include any physical or corporate entity, business, pet shop, partnership or any association and the heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns or other legal representative thereof to whom the context may apply. 224.2.5 Pound - defined "Pound" means premises regulated under the Animals for Research Act that are used for the confinement, maintenance or disposal of animals. Article 3 - Keeping - Prohibition 224.3.1 Keeping - regulations - set out No person shall keep, harbour or possess any exotic animal anywhere within the City of Woodstock. (See Set Fines) 224.3.2 Snake - non-venomous - over 36 inches - prohibited Inclusive of the provisions set out in 224.3.1, no person is permitted to keep, harbour or possess a non-venomous snake that exceeds an overall length of 36 inches (91.44 centimetres). (See Set Fines) 224.3.3 Lizard - non-venomous - over 24 inches - prohibited Inclusive of the provisions set out in 224.3.1, no person shall keep, harbour or possess a non-venomous lizard that, including its tail, exceeds an overall length of 24 inches (60.96 centimetres). (See Set Fines) Article 4 Exemptions 224.4.1 Veterinary hospital - under care of veterinarian Article 3 shall not apply to the keeping of an exotic animal in a veterinary hospital under the care of a veterinarian licensed under the laws of Ontario. Page 4 of 4 Chapter 224 September 2006 224.4.2 Public pound Article 3 shall not apply to the keeping of an exotic animal in a public pound. 224.4.3 In transport - to veterinary hospital - pound Article 3 shall not apply to the keeping of an exotic animal during the transportation of same to either of the places noted in Sections 224.4.1 or 224.4.2. 224.4.4 Circus - exhibition Article 3 shall not apply to the keeping of an exotic animal in a circus or exhibition. Article 5 - Enforcement 224.5.1 Fine - for contravention Every person who contravenes any of the provisions of this Chapter is guilty of an offence and upon conviction is liable to a fine or penalty as provided in the Provincial Offences Act. Article 6 - Repeal - Enactment 224.6.1 By-law - previous All previous by-laws regarding exotic animals are hereby repealed. 224.6.2 Effective date This Chapter shall come into force and take effect as of third and final reading of the enabling by-law. By-law 8242-06, September 7, 2006.