District of Elkford council has adopted an amendment to the Animal Control Bylaw to regulate cats in the district.

Over the next month, bylaw enforcement will focus on educating pet owners about the new rules and addressing the public’s concerns, as well as working with community members to promote responsible pet ownership of cats and dogs, the district reported on social media today.

What does this new bylaw amendment mean for cat owners? Cats must now be licensed annually, kept under control (i.e., either kept indoors or in their own yards) and kept from roaming on neighbouring properties and defecating in the gardens or on the lawns of others. Failure to do the above will result in fines of $50 or more, the district outlined.

The annual licensing fee for a neutered/spayed cat or dog is $11 and an intact cat or dog is $25. If licensed after February 26, 2021 (the last business day of the month), the owner will pay a late fee of $5 per pet licence. The fines for cats at-large, failure to license cats and failure to clean up after cats are the same as for dogs.

According to a municipal animal bylaw study released by the BC SPCA in 2015, cat-specific municipal bylaws help significantly to decrease cat overpopulation, increase the reclaim rates of cats and reunite lost cats with their owners in British Columbia.

“Our hope is that by joining the other British Columbian municipalities that have adopted cat-specific bylaws, we will promote responsible pet ownership and positive advancements in these areas,” the district stated.

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