Published Feb. 9, 2023 8:26 p.m. ET
Updated Feb. 9, 2023 8:27 p.m. ET
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Proposed modifications at Winnipeg City Hall might quickly need family pet owners who do not have their cats and dogs made sterile or sterilized to pay more.
It’s been simply a couple of months given that Braiden Bousquet embraced his seven-month-old rescue dog Lincoln.
“We went there to search, take a look at dogs and have a good day, and wound up entrusting to her since she was so adorable,” he said.
When Lincoln joined his family, she had actually already been made sterile.
It’s something the city is attempting to motivate more family pet owners to do, and might quickly be charging them more if they don’t.
The city’s responsible pet ownership bylaw does require cats and dogs over six months old to be sterilized unless a valid licence for an unsterilized pet has been issued.
As a part of its preliminary 2023 budget, the city is proposing increasing the annual licence fees for cats and dogs that have not been spayed or neutered.
For cats, the annual fee would jump to $61, an increase of $9 compared to the current rate. For dogs, the fee would increase to $123, a jump of $43.
“The increase in fees are specifically for intact animals, so this was to further encourage the citizens of Winnipeg to spay and neuter their pets,” Coun. Jeff Browaty, the city’s finance chair, said on Wednesday.
He said as the pandemic has been winding down, the city has seen an increased number of animals left at its animal services facilities.
In a statement to CTV News, the city said almost every dog and cat impounded at animal services and the Winnipeg Humane Society has not been spayed or neutered.
Greg Carlson, who was at the park with his daughter’s dog Thursday, believes the proposed changes may help.
“I think it’s going to have positive effects on maybe those folks that are maybe sitting on the fence in terms of spaying or neutering their animals,” he said. “I think it is an incentive for them to get out there and look after their pets.”
While he appreciates the city’s effort to promote spaying and neutering, Bousquet doesn’t think it will make much of a difference.
“If somebody feels that heartfelt about not spaying or neutering their animals, an extra $40 or whatever it is, is not going to motivate them to do it.”
Pet owners looking to spay or neuter their animals should contact their veterinarian. The city said several low-income spay and neuter programs are also offered through the Winnipeg Humane Society and are partially funded by the city.
More information about the programs can be found online.
The proposed changes along with the rest of the 2023 preliminary budget are set to be debated at council in March.
The proposed modifications in addition to the remainder of the 2023 initial spending plan are set to be disputed at council in March.
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