6. PET REGISTRATION FEE
REVIEW RΙVISION DES DROITS DENREGISTREMENT DES ANIMAUX DE
COMPAGNIE |
That Council enact a by-law, to take effect March 15, 2007, to amend the Animal Care and Control By-law No. 2003-77 as outlined in Document 1 to:
a)
amend the existing fees for pet registration and pound
redemption as detailed in Schedule A of the amending by-law;
b)
include in Schedule A a registration fee of $10 for a
sterilized and microchipped dog six months of age or older;
c)
include in Schedule A a registration fee of $10 for a
sterilized and microchipped cat six months of age or older;
d)
exempt sterilized and microchipped dogs and cats registered
prior to the date of enactment of the amending by-law from the requirement to
pay a pet registration fee;
include a new registration fee for a dog whose owner has been convicted of permitting the dog to bite or attack, without provocation, a person or domestic animal.
Que au Conseil dadopter un rθglement municipal,
qui entrerait en vigueur le 15 mars 2007, abrogeant le Rθglement no 2003-77
sur le contrτle et le soin des animaux, comme le dιcrit le document 1,
afin :
a)
de rιviser les droits
denregistrement et de restitution des animaux de compagnie en vigueur, comme
le dιfinit lannexe A du rθglement modificatif;
b)
dinclure dans lannexe A des
droits denregistrement de 10 $ pour un chien de six mois ou plus
stιrilisι et muni d'une micropuce;
c)
dinclure dans lannexe A des
droits denregistrement de 10 $ pour un chat de six mois ou plus
stιrilisι et muni dune micropuce;
d)
dexempter des droits susmentionnιs
les propriιtaires dont les chiens et les chats stιrilisιs et dotιs dune
micropuce ont ιtι enregistrιs avant la date dadoption du rθglement
modificatif;
e) dinstaurer
de nouveaux droits denregistrement pour les chiens dont les propriιtaires ont
ιtι condamnιs pour avoir permis ΰ leur animal de mordre ou dattaquer une
personne ou un animal de compagnie sans quil y ait eu provocation.
DOCUMENTATION
1.
Deputy City Manager, report dated 5 February 2007 (ACS2007-CPS-BYL-0007).
Report to/Rapport au :
Community and Protective Services
Committee
Comitι des services communautaires et de
protection
and Council / et au Conseil
5 February 2007 / le 5 fιvrier 2007
Submitted by/Soumis par : Steve
Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager/Directeur municipal adjoint,
Community and Protective
Services/Services communautaires et de protection
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Susan Jones, Director/Directrice
By-law and Regulatory Services/Services
des rθglements municipaux
(613) 580-2424 x25536,
susan.jones@ottawa.ca
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SUBJECT: |
PET REGISTRATION FEE
REVIEW
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|
|
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OBJET : |
RΙVISION DES DROITS DENREGISTREMENT DES ANIMAUX DE COMPAGNIE |
REPORT
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Community and Protective Services Committee
recommend that Council enact a by-law, to take effect March 15, 2007, to amend
the Animal Care and Control By-law No. 2003-77 as outlined in Document 1 to:
a)
amend the existing fees for pet registration and pound
redemption as detailed in Schedule A of the amending by-law;
b)
include in Schedule A a registration fee of $10 for a
sterilized and microchipped dog six months of age or older;
c)
include in Schedule A a registration fee of $10 for a
sterilized and microchipped cat six months of age or older;
d)
exempt sterilized and microchipped dogs and cats registered
prior to the date of enactment of the amending by-law from the requirement to
pay a pet registration fee;
e)
include a new registration fee for a dog whose owner has been
convicted of permitting the dog to bite or attack, without provocation, a
person or domestic animal.
Que le
Comitι des services communautaires et de protection recommande au Conseil
dadopter un rθglement municipal, qui entrerait en vigueur le
15 mars 2007, abrogeant le Rθglement no 2003-77 sur
le contrτle et le soin des animaux, comme le dιcrit le document 1,
afin :
a)
de rιviser les droits
denregistrement et de restitution des animaux de compagnie en vigueur, comme
le dιfinit lannexe A du rθglement modificatif;
b)
dinclure dans lannexe A des
droits denregistrement de 10 $ pour un chien de six mois ou plus
stιrilisι et muni d'une micropuce;
c)
dinclure dans lannexe A des
droits denregistrement de 10 $ pour un chat de six mois ou plus
stιrilisι et muni dune micropuce;
d)
dexempter des droits susmentionnιs
les propriιtaires dont les chiens et les chats stιrilisιs et dotιs dune
micropuce ont ιtι enregistrιs avant la date dadoption du rθglement
modificatif;
e)
dinstaurer de nouveaux droits
denregistrement pour les chiens dont les propriιtaires ont ιtι condamnιs pour
avoir permis ΰ leur animal de mordre ou dattaquer une personne ou un animal de
compagnie sans quil y ait eu provocation.
In 2003, the animal-related regulations of the
former municipalities were harmonized to establish the Animal Care and Control
By-law 2003-77, including provisions and fees related to dog and cat
registration. The fee structure considers
affordability and provides incentives through either a zero fee or lower fees
for pets, which are either sterilized or identified with a microchip or both,
with the intent of increasing the rate of pet registration and the number of
sterilized and identified pets and, in the longer term, reducing the number of
unidentified animals generally as well as those impounded at a cost to
taxpayers.
The pet registration program has however not met expectations. The pet registration rate has not increased significantly since the by-law was enacted in 2003 nor has the number of impounded pets decreased significantly. The result is a loss of revenue of approximately $40,000 in 2006 revenue that is used to offset the costs of animal care and control. Ottawas fees are approximately 50% of those of most other comparable municipalities.
RΙSUMΙ
En 2003, les rθglements sur les animaux en
vigueur dans les anciennes municipalitιs ont ιtι harmonisιs pour donner lieu au
Rθglement no 2003-77 sur le contrτle et le soin des animaux,
qui comprend des dispositions et des droits relatifs ΰ lenregistrement des
chiens et des chats. Le barθme des droits tient compte de la capacitι ΰ payer
des propriιtaires et prιvoit des incitatifs, qui consistent ΰ exempter des
frais denregistrement les propriιtaires danimaux stιrilisιs ou munis dune
micropuce (ou les deux) ou ΰ leur imposer des frais moindres ΰ ce chapitre. Ces
mesures visent ΰ accroξtre la proportion danimaux de compagnie enregistrιs
ainsi que le nombre danimaux stιrilisιs et identifiιs, ce qui, ΰ long terme,
rιduira la population danimaux non-identifiιs de compagnie de mκme que le
nombre danimaux envoyιs ΰ la fourriθre, dont lexploitation est en partie
financιe par les contribuables.
Le
programme denregistrement des animaux de compagnie na cependant pas donnι les
rιsultats escomptιs. Le taux denregistrement danimaux na pas augmentι de
maniθre significative depuis lentrιe en vigueur du rθglement, en 2003, et le
nombre danimaux envoyιs en fourriθre na pas beaucoup diminuι non plus. Ainsi,
la Ville dOttawa aurait pu bιnιficier en 2006 dΰ peu prθs 40 000 $
en recettes supplιmentaires au titre de lenregistrement des animaux de
compagnie, fonds qui devraient servir ΰ financer les coϋts associιs au contrτle
des animaux et aux soins qui leur sont apportιs. Les droits denregistrement des animaux de compagnie en vigueur ΰ
Ottawa ιquivalent ΰ environ la moitiι de ceux imposιs dans la plupart des
villes comparables.
In 2003, the animal-related regulations of the
former municipalities were harmonized to establish the Animal Care and Control
By-law 2003-77. Among the
animal-related matters addressed by this by-law is pet (dog and cat)
registration that is, pet identification tags, traditionally referred to as
licenses. The harmonized by-law
incorporates a fee schedule, which includes registration at no charge for the
life of the pet for those that are sterilized and microchipped; $12 for pets
which are sterilized or microchipped but, not both or which are immature; $25
for pets which are neither sterilized nor microchipped. This general fee structure formed part of
the extensive public consultation undertaken during the course of harmonizing
the by-law and was favoured for its incentives to sterilize and permanently
identify pets and for its affordability.
The rationale for the fee structure was that by enhancing the affordability of licenses as well as providing incentive for pet owners to sterilize and microchip their pets, the rate of pet registration would increase and, in the longer term, the goals of the pet registration program generally would be achieved, e.g. increased number of sterilized and identified pets, reduction in the number of animals impounded at a cost to taxpayers, etc. That is, pet registration helps reduce the costs associated with sheltering strays by increasing the number of lost animals that are returned to their owner rather than being impounded. Revenue from pet registration offsets the cost of the stray animal pick-ups by By-law Officers and related municipal animal shelter (pound) services currently provided by the Ottawa Humane Society through a service agreement with the City.
The pet registration program has not met expectations. A recent data review indicates that the number of registered pets has not increased significantly since the by-law was enacted in 2003 and pet owners are failing to renew their pets registration on a continuous annual basis. Further, the number of impounded pets has not decreased significantly over the past few years. The overall result is a loss of revenue of approximately $40,000 in 2006 revenue that is used to offset the costs of animal care and control. Ottawas fees are approximately 50% of those of most other comparable municipalities.
It is therefore recommended that pet registration fees be amended, as outlined in the chart below. A registration fee of $10 for pets that are both sterilized and microchipped is proposed to replace the free, lifetime registration for pets in this category. All existing free, lifetime registrations would however be grandfathered. It is proposed that the differential fee structure, in which there are progressively higher pet registration fees based sterilization or the presence of microchip identification or both, be maintained. The introduction of a $100 fee for a dog whose owner has been convicted of permitting the dog to bite or attack without provocation a person or domestic animal is also proposed. Dogs in this category represent significantly higher enforcement and administration costs to the City. Currently, a number of comparable cities in and outside of Ontario have in place a fee similar to that being proposed, those ranging from $90 to $500.
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PET
REGISTRATION FEES |
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Current Fee |
Proposed Fee |
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For each dog
six months of age or older which is sterilized and identified with a
microchip |
No Fee |
$10 |
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For each dog
under six months of age which is identified with a microchip |
No Fee |
$10 |
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For each dog
six months of age or older which is sterilized but not identified with a
microchip |
$12 |
$15 |
|
For each dog
under six months of age which is not identified with a microchip |
$12 |
$15 |
|
For each dog
six months of age or older which is identified with a microchip but not
sterilized |
$12 |
$15 |
|
For each dog
six months of age or older, which is neither sterilized nor identified with a
microchip |
$25 |
$30 |
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For each service dog |
No Fee |
No Fee |
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For each replacement of a lost identification tag |
No Fee |
No Fee |
|
For each cat
six months of age or older, which is sterilized and identified with a
microchip |
No Fee |
$10 |
|
For each cat
under six months of age, which is identified with a microchip |
No Fee |
$10 |
|
For each cat
six months of age or older, which is sterilized but, not identified with a
microchip |
$12 |
$15 |
|
For each cat
under six months of age, which is not identified with a microchip |
$12 |
$15 |
|
For each cat
six months of age or older, which is identified with a microchip but, not
sterilized |
$12 |
$15 |
|
For each cat
six months of age or older, which is neither sterilized nor identified with a
microchip |
$25 |
$30 |
|
For each service cat |
No Fee |
No Fee |
|
For each replacement of a lost identification tag |
No Fee |
No Fee |
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For a dog whose
owner has been convicted of permitting the dog to bite or attack without
provocation a person or domestic animal |
N/A |
$100 (new category) |
An advertisement inviting comments and giving
notice of the time, date and location of the Community and Protective Services
Committee at which the proposed pet registration fee amendments would be
discussed, appeared in the January 26th edition of the Citizen and
Le Droit and again in the February 2nd and February 3rd
editions of Le Droit and the Citizen, respectively. A copy of the draft report
was also circulated to the Ottawa Humane Society, which sells pet registrations
on behalf of the City and has an interest in the subject matter. As of the writing of this report, no
inquiries or comments about the report were received.
There are no budget implications associated with this report. If approved, the proposed amendments to the pet registration fees set out in Schedule A to the Animal Care and Control By-law 2003-77 will result in additional revenues to make up the existing shortfall to meet the 2007 budget targets and to help offset the costs of the administration and enforcement of the pet registration program.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1
Proposed amending by-law respecting pet registration and pound redemption fees
DISPOSITION
By-law and Regulatory Services Branch to
provide for the necessary notification to the public, pet owners, relevant
agencies.
Legal Services Branch to process the by-law to
Council for enactment.
DOCUMENT 1
BY-LAW NO. 2007-
A by-law of the City of
Ottawa to amend By-law No. 2003-77 respecting pet registration and pound
redemption fees.
The Council of the City of Ottawa enacts as follows:
1. Subsection (3) of Section 7 of By-law No. 2003-77 entitled A by-law of the City of Ottawa respecting animal care and control, as amended, is amended by adding the expression where the dog is registered prior to March 15, 2007 immediately after the word sterilized where it occurs therein.
2. Subsection (3) of Section 53 of the said By-law No. 2003-77 is amended by adding the expression where the cat is registered prior to March 15, 2007 immediately after the word sterilized where it occurs therein.
3. Schedule A, Pet Registration and Pound Redemption fees, of the said By-law No. 2003-77 is repealed and the Schedule A attached hereto is substituted therefor.
4. This by-law shall come into force and take effect on March 15, 2007.
ENACTED AND PASSED this day of , 2007.
CITY CLERK MAYOR
SCHEDULE A
PET REGISTRATION AND POUND REDEMPTION FEES
1. DOG REGISTRATION FEES
(a) for each dog six months of age or older,
which is sterilized and identified with a microchip .$10
(b) for each dog under six months of age,
which is identified with a microchip $10
(c) for each dog six months of age or older,
which is sterilized but, not identified with a microchip ... $15
(d) for each dog under six months of age,
which is not identified with a microchip .$15
(e) for each dog six months of age or older,
which is identified with a microchip but, not sterilized ... $15
(f) for each dog six months of age or older,
which is neither sterilized nor identified with a microchip ... $30
(g) for each service dog
No fee
(h) for each replacement of a lost identification tag
.
No fee
(i)
for each dog whose owner has been
convicted of permitting the dog
to
bite or attack, without provocation, a person or domestic animal
..
.
.$100
2. CAT
REGISTRATION FEES
(a) for each cat six months of age or older,
which is sterilized and identified with a microchip . .$10
(b) for each cat under six months of age,
which is identified with a microchip .$10
(c) for each cat six months of age or older,
which is sterilized but, not identified with a microchip .. .. $15
(d) for each cat under six months of age,
which is not identified with a microchip .. $15
(e) for each cat six months of age or older,
which is identified with a microchip but, not sterilized ... $15
(f) for each cat six months of age or older, which
is neither sterilized nor identified with a microchip .. .$30
(g) for
each service cat.
.No fee
(h) for
each replacement of a lost identification tag
..
...No fee
3.
POUND REDEMPTION FEES
(a) for each dog redeemed, per day for each
day,
or part thereof, to be
calculated from the first day of impoundment
..
$45
(b)
for each cat redeemed, per day for each day,
or part thereof, to be calculated from the first day of
impoundment
.. $35