A change to the Animal Care and Control Bylaw has been given first reading by Cold Lake Council to increase the amount of animals allowed in a household.
The bylaw proposes changing the limit on the amount of animals in the household from a maximum of three cats, three dogs, two rabbits, or a mix to a maximum 5 animals to just a maximum of 5 animals in a household.
Concerns were raised during the March 21 Corporate Priorities Committee Meeting when council became aware of people wanting to license more than the allowed limit under the newly approved bylaw last summer.
A complication was found when pet owners came to apply for their licenses but found they were in contradiction with the bylaw. Cold Lake had built its Bylaw with comparisons to other areas around Cold Lake and found very similar restrictions across the Municipalities as the current ones.
The Bylaw does come with a fine for keeping more animals than permitted:
- $200 for a first offense
- $400 second offense
- $600 for any third offence.
Breeders, training facilities for animals, foster homes for animals, animal shelters, and areas within the City that are zoned as agriculture are all exceptions. The fine has not been issued as of the council meeting on the 21st.