Resolutions

WHEREAS, municipalities do not always have the financial or personnel resources to have an animal control officer, trained employees, or adequate facilities to handle animal control issues; and

WHEREAS, various animal agencies such as the Humane Societies and various Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ie, SPCA) located in the cities are no longer helping small urban municipalities with animal control issues such as housing or surrendering, and if they are, there is a significant cost associated with it; and

WHEREAS, animal control issues, such as aggressive/dangerous dogs, are legislatively a grey area, whereby the municipality has to deal with the dogs until they attack or bite, at which point it becomes an RCMP issue and

WHEREAS, aggressive/dangerous dogs are a cause for concern for residents; and

WHEREAS, municipalities are not given enough authority or financial resources to deal with animal control issues appropriately or expediently; and

WHEREAS, animal control issues are divisive in many communities as viewpoints and solutions are on a broad spectrum and create no-win scenarios for municipalities to deal with;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT SUMA advocate the provincial government to amend legislation to provide municipalities with proper authority, resources, and funding to effectively deal with animal control issues.

• It is unclear what additional authority is being asked for in this resolution.
   
• The Cities Act (CA), The Municipalities Act (MA), and The Northern Municipalities Act, 2010 (NMA) provide a municipality’s animal control officers with the same authority to address dangerous animals as municipal police or RCMP officers. A designated municipal officer may take actions such as searching for and impounding an animal they believe is dangerous, including on private property if necessary, and destroying an animal that is found harming a person or domestic animal.
   
• A municipality is not required to wait until an animal attacks someone before taking action. Under section 375 of the MA and section 396 of the NMA, a municipality may ask a judge to declare an animal dangerous and make an order addressing the matter if there are reasonable grounds to believe the animal poses a safety risk, even if it has not attacked or injured a resident or other animal. These provisions are not found in the CA, but a city may pass bylaws with the same effect (for example, the dangerous animal provisions in The Regina Animal Bylaw, 2009.)
   
• In addition to general bylaw-making powers under section 8, the three municipal Acts were amended in 2020 to provide additional authority and power regarding animal control. For example, the CA (section 327.1), MA (section 380), and NMA (section 400) empower municipalities to pass bylaws regarding persons who permit animals to be at large, including the number and type of animals owned or being harboured by a person, and the seizing, impounding, destruction, or other disposition of animals found at large.
   
• The Ministry of Government Relations (ministry) is open to recommendations for specific amendments that would improve municipalities’ ability to effectively provide animal control services. Proposals would be considered the next time the municipal Acts are opened, currently anticipated to be in 2025.
   
• The ministry is not aware of any funding programs for specific operational expenses of municipalities such as those related to animal control. Unconditional funding municipalities receive through Municipal Revenue Sharing grants may be allocated to municipal priorities, including animal control.
   
• In cases where individual municipalities are unable to provide adequate animal control services, the ministry encourages them to explore opportunities to collaborate with other municipalities in the region. Feasibility studies and/or start-up costs for a regional animal control service may be eligible for funding under the Targeted Sector Support Initiative.
   
• The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture administers The Animal Protection Act, 2018 and The Animal Protection Regulations, 2018 which provides protection to animals and prevention of distress.
   
• As per the legislative framework, Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan, members of the RCMP, and municipal police officers are the authorities responsible for enforcement of this legislation. The RCMP and municipal police officers are also tasked to enforce sections pertaining to animal cruelty in the Criminal Code of Canada. Individuals or organizations with concerns regarding animal(s) in distress, are encouraged to contact the appropriate enforcement authorities
   
• Issues related to animal control bylaws, stray animals, population control, and limiting the number of animals per household would fall under the purview of the responsible municipal administration.