Role of the Animal Control Officer

The role of the Animal Control Officer is to primarily enforce the Township for Bonnechere Valley Pet Bylaw and Provincial regulations pertaining to animals whether house pets, domesticated farm animals or wild creatures. He is there to help the public deal with problems caused by animals both domestic and wild where they fall within his mandate as detailed by the Pet Bylaw and Provincial Regulations. He is also the person who responds to calls about neglected, lost animals or injured animals and is often the first person to provide comfort and compassion to animals in need.

Your Animal Control Officer performs a variety of services that help animals and people; rescuing injured animals, controlling stray and potentially dangerous animals roaming at large, and bringing lost dogs to the pound where their owners can reclaim them. They also work with other local agencies, such as the OSPCA, the County Health Unit and law Enforcement; to protect all members of families, both two-legged and four-legged.

Frequently Asked Questions and Links

How do I report stray animals, nuisance animal?

Call the Animal Control Officer between 7am and 8pm 7 days a week to report stray, loose, or nuisance animals. We will need a description of the animal(s) causing the problem, a description of the problem, and your name, address and phone number so we can get back in touch with you if necessary. The owner’s name and/or address are helpful, but not required.

For example: “My name is John Smith and I live at 123 Grattan Road. My phone number is 628-0000. There’s a large, brown dog out loose on our road. I think it might belong to the family at 135 Highway 41. I’m worried because it’s barking at the kids getting off the school bus.”

Cruelty and neglect complaints and dog fights be reported anonymously directly to the OSPCA, Their telephone number is (613) 588-4508

Cats are not required to be licensed in the Township of Bonnechere Valley however as is detailed in the Pet Bylaw all domestic cats must have an identification tag attached so that they can be identified if they are caught in a trap. Cats are not required to be on a leash or under the direct physical control of their owners, but they are not allowed to leave their owners’ property. If your wandering cat causes a nuisance for your neighbors, the neighbors have the right to humanely secure the cat and ask us to pick it up. You may place the animal in a cage, secure it on a screen porch, or use a humane trap like a “Hav-A-Hart” trap. If you don’t own a humane trap, you can borrow one from the Animal Control.

If loose animals are causing a problem in your neighborhood, simply call the Animal Control Officer at 628-5914 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays and between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekends. Be able to give the cat or dog's location and a good description. If you think you know who the animal might belong to, tell us.

You must give your name when you report a loose or stray animal; we do not supply this information to the owner of the animal it is strictly for our records.

We DO NOT give out information on the scene or over the phone about the person who made the complaint.

How do I get help with an animal problem at night, on weekends, or on holidays?

The Animal Control officer is available for animal emergencies during these times. We consider it an emergency when:

an animal has bitten someone,
an animal is trapped, injured or otherwise in serious danger,
wildlife has wandered indoors
Other situations in which an animal is in distress or a human being is in danger of being harmed by the animal.
Barking dogs, stray cats, and raccoons in your garbage can are not emergency situations. Please notify us of these situations during regular business hours.

If you have encountered a stray dog at night and it is not viscous, tie the dog up and leave a message on the Animal Control Officers answering machine.

If your problem is an emergency, call the OPP dispatch center at 1-888-310-1122 and they will alert the Animal Control Officer.

My pet is missing! What should I do?

Call the Animal Control Officer during normal business hours as soon as you notice your pet is missing. Please give us as much information about your pet as possible: the date your pet went missing, along with its age, sex, color, breed (if known), weight, and important distinguishing features such as a stub tail. It’s important for us to know if your pet was wearing its tag and collar and what the tag number is even if you are from a different municipality

Dogs which are picked up and not readily identifiable are transported to the dog pound in Eganville.

The pound will keep dogs for 7 working days. If they are unclaimed after that time, they are evaluated for health, age, personality, etc. Those not suitable for adoption are humanely euthanised. So it is very, very important that you begin to look for your pet as soon as you notice it’s missing. Don’t assume your pet is “off tomcatting” and that he’ll come home in a few days. You may be too late. The dog pound is owned and operated by the Township of Bonnechere Valley, please call animal control for information.

Animal Control picked up my pet. What do I do now?

Call the Animal Control Officer and we will first confirm we have picked up your pet and where it can be claimed.

Even if you are not certain we picked up your pet, call Animal Control as soon as you notice your pet is missing.

The Bonnechere Valley dog pound located at 33764 Highway 41, Eganville, and the contact phone number is 613-628-5914

What should I do if I find a stray pet?

Attempt to catch and temporarily tie up the animal, this makes it easier for the Animal Control Officer to pick up the animal and return it to its home.

Call the Animal Control Officer.

If the animal is wearing a tag on its collar please provide that information to the Animal Control Officer when you call

If the animal is not wearing tags give as good a description as possible to the Animal Control Officer.

What about pet licenses, and how many pets may I keep?

All dogs must be registered with the Township of Bonnechere Valley when they reach 6 months of age. Cats are not currently licensed in the Township however you are still responsible for their behavior and any property damage they do while off your property. Cats do not need to be licensed or tagged but must be have an identification tag affixed stating the owners name and address or telephone number. Remember you are responsible to ensure that your dog or cat has received its rabies vaccination before it reaches 6 months of age and that they are re-vaccinated no later than every two years. The law requires both dogs and cats and ferrets to be vaccinated for rabies at the age of three months, then once every two years after that. Even if you think your full-time indoor pet will never get out, accidents can happen.

If you’ve just moved to the Township of Bonnechere Valley, you must have your pet licensed and vaccinated by a veterinarian within 30 days. If your pet was recently vaccinated somewhere else be prepared to show proof of vaccination when you register your pet with us.

Most birds, reptiles and other small animals commonly available in pet shops require no license or permit, but some do. It is illegal to keep certain wild or exotic animals as pets in Bonnechere Valley, Please refer to the Township Animal Control Bylaw or contact the Animal Control Officer if in doubt.

You may keep up to 4 dogs at your residence before requiring a Kennel license. Call the Animal control officer if you wish to apply for a kennel license, before a kennel license is issued you must show valid need and are subject to periodic inspections.

Dog licenses may be obtained from the Municipal Offices at 49 Bonnechere Street or directly from the Animal Control Officer.

Dog License fees are:

1. Male or Female neutered or spayed license acquired before March 31 $20

2. Male or female neutered or spayed license acquired after March 31st $30

REMINDER

Cats are not licensed however any cat picked up by the animal control officer that is not identifiable will be considered a feral or semi feral cat and summarily euthanised.

A barking dog in our neighborhood keeps us up at night.
Who should we call?

If barking dogs are a problem in your neighborhood, we suggest the neighborly approach as a good place to start. Maybe the dog’s owner isn’t aware that the dog is a problem to others, and the solution might be as simple as asking the owner to bring the dog inside during the hours when you are trying to sleep. It’s surprising how often people are willing to cooperate when they become aware that their pet is keeping someone else awake.

If the neighborly approach fails, Contact the Animal Control Officer at 628-5914. Give as much detail as possible, including:

Your name, address and phone,

Location (address) of the dog(s) causing the problem,

Description of the animal’s problem behavior,

Description of how the animal’s behavior is affecting you.

When we receive the complaint, we will investigate and if warranted a warning or other appropriate action will be levied on the owner. If the dog continues to bark, and you make another complaint within 15 days, the owner will be subject to further sanctions as detailed in the Bylaw.

Be aware that, according to the definition used in the Bylaw, nuisance barking or noise-making must be excessive before a summons will be issued. Be prepared to supply the Animal Control officer with a detailed list of dates and times.

Be aware that your name will never be used or transmitted to the owner of the offending animal.

Raccoons, Skunks or Cats are getting into my garbage. What can I do?

Many problems with raccoons, opossums and other wildlife often can be solved simply by building an enclosed pen for your garbage cans. It should have a top and four sides. Use a spring-type latch--this lets the garbage collector in but keeps raccoons out. You can also buy ready-made, raccoon-proof pens at some feed stores.

Tamper-resistant garbage cans are another good solution. Or you could try stretching a piece of bungee cord across your garbage can lid. Just anchor the bungee cord to the handles.

It’s also important to avoid leaving pet food out at night.

Please do not feed raccoons. Sure, raccoons are cute. But rabies isn’t. Raccoons can carry rabies, which is transmittable to humans, pets and livestock.

Raccoons also carry distemper, a serious disease which can be transmitted to dogs and cats that aren’t up-to-date on their shots.

If a raccoon or a skunk bites a human or a pet call the animal control officer and your family doctor or veterinarian immediately, the animal control officer will attempt to secure that animal for testing and treatment may be needed for exposure to rabies and other diseases.

If you encounter a raccoon or skunk that appears to be ill or have lost its natural fear of humans please contact the Animal control officer immediately, there have been numerous reported cases of animal distemper in our municipality and those animals must be destroyed immediately to stop the spread of the disease.

The Animal control officer will not trap or remove healthy raccoons or skunks from an area, any healthy raccoon or skunk inadvertently caught in a trap will be realized immediately in the same area.

Who do I call to help me with a dead animal?

There are no special laws concerning the disposal of most deceased pets on your own property, but you will want to bury it as deep as possible–at least two feet for a cat, small dog, or other small pet; three feet or more for a larger pet.

It’s a good idea to place a few paving stones directly above the spot to discourage scavengers. You might also want to plant a tree or bush to mark the spot, or make a marker of your own.

The law does require that large livestock animals must be buried at least six feet deep, or cremated.

Beware of buried utility lines–always call the proper authorities before you dig a hole.

If you don’t have a yard, or if you are not able to dig a grave, you will need to find another means of disposing of your deceased pet. Some veterinarians offer burial and cremation services, or they will refer you to someone else who can help. Look in the Yellow Pages under “veterinarians” and “pet cemeteries, crematories and supplies.”

Another way to dispose of a dead animal is simply bring it to the Township waste disposal Site on Sand Road there you can leave it with the Waste site attendant or bury the remains yourself at the back of the site.

It’s better to avoid wild animals found dead on the road. Rabies can survive in the corpse of a dead animal, and rabies is often the reason the raccoon was out in the road in the first place. If you have an urgent reason to remove a road kill, use plastic or latex gloves, put the dead animal in a plastic bag, and secure it in the garbage as described above. Be sure to dispose of the gloves and to wash your hands thoroughly after attempting this. Never touch a road-killed animal if you have an open cut or abrasion on your hands. The Township or County road crews are responsible for removing road kills from our highways, If the animal has not been picked up in a reasonable amount of time please call the Township roads department. The animal control officer will remove large road kill animals such as dogs or deer please call him if you see one of these animals.

Someone has been bitten by an animal. What needs to be done?

Because of the danger of rabies and distemper, which is always fatal if untreated, animal bites and scratches must be reported to the Animal Control Officer? The Animal Control Officer will then make a bite report to the County Environmental Health Unit which assumes responsibility to ensure that the animal (if a domestic animal) has a current vaccination and that every is made to find the animal, quarantine it, and observe its health for ten (10) days. Anyone who has been bitten is safe from rabies if the dog or cat which bit them is still alive ten days later.

If you, a family member, or a visitor to your home was bitten by your own pet, if it is up-to-date on its rabies vaccination, and if it was not running loose or otherwise in violation of the animal control Bylaw at the time the bite occurred, you must report the bite, but you may be allowed to keep your animal confined in your own home and examined by your own veterinarian after ten (10) days have passed. The animal must not be allowed to run loose or make contact with other animals or human visitors for ten (10) days. You may also choose to kennel your pet at your veterinarian’s office during this time. If the animal dies for any reason during this time, you must contact the Animal Control Officer so your pet’s remains can be examined for rabies.

If the dog or cat was not up-to-date on its rabies vaccination it will be impounded at the shelter or other designated facility for ten days. The owner may reclaim the animal after ten days have passed, and must be ready to pay any fines (such as failure to vaccinate against rabies) that may apply.

If you are bitten by a wild mammal, such as a fox or raccoon, notify Animal Control immediately and we will make every effort to capture the animal and examine it for rabies. Birds, reptiles, fish, and other animals do not carry rabies. If you are not sure whether or not the animal which bit you is a mammal, please call Animal Control and we can help identify it for you.

Due to risk of infection from bacteria, and due to the risk of dangerous venom from a snake or spider bite, you should see a physician if you have been bitten by a bird, reptile, spider, or any other non-mammalian animal for medical treatment, but the animal does not need to be impounded or quarantined.

If the Animal Control Officer or the County Health Unit is unable to locate the animal which bit you, you must go through a series of post-exposure anti-rabies injections to protect you against the rabies virus. While the risk of rabies is very small in the case of dog and cat bites, the virus is always fatal if untreated. However small the odds are, the risk is almost always too great to gamble on.

If you have been bitten by a wild animal which got away, you must have the injections to protect your health. Consult your physician for medical advice as to whether or not you should have the injections in situations where a dog or cat got away.

It is your responsibility as a pet owner to ensure that you’re pet is under control at all times, If your dog has bitten or attacked another domestic animal or person you are liable and can be charged under the dog owners liability act. A copy of this act is available from this site - 192.75.156.68/DBLaws/Statutes/