Ponoka Town Council has introduced a new animal control bylaw for cats and dogs. Under the new bylaw, all cats and dogs aged six months and older that reside in Ponoka are required to be licensed annually by their owners. 

Other provisions of the bylaw include:

  • Ponoka residents may have a maximum of five cats and dogs  per residence. 
  • A grandfathering licence may be applied for between April 1 to June 2021 for each dog and cat that exceeds the five animal maximum. Applications for a grandfathering license will not be accepted past June 30, 2021. They also must be renewed annually. 
  • There is a new aggressive dog definition. 
  • A new fee and fine schedule. 

The new bylaw takes effect immediately but enforcement of cats and the five -annimals-per residence limit won’t begin until July 1, 2021 to allow residents to purchase a grandfathering license. 

“The regulation and licensing of cats were added to the new Bylaw in response to concerns expressed by many citizens over the years asking the Town to help alleviate cat issues in Ponoka. Those concerns were echoed widely during an extensive public consultation process held by the Town just over a year ago that invited public review and feedback on the new Bylaw,” said Ponoka Mayor Rick Bonnett. 

After receiving public feedback, a few additional changes were made to the bylaw including:

  • There is a new definition for exotic pets. 
  • There is new cat trapping requirements. 

You can be eligible for a $15 early bird pet licencing rate if your animal is spayed or neutered and apply between October 1 to December prior to each renewal year. Licensing a pet increases the likelihood of your lost pets return home. If you your pet escapes your property without a license additional fines can result. 

Cat owners have until June 30th to license their cats before the bylaw begins. The tags will not expire until December 31, 2022. After that, those licenses will need to be renewed annually. 

License fees will be used to help offset the cost of Animal Control Services provided by the Town. For more information on the bylaw, you can click here.