Animal Control Bylaw still in the works

Posted on December 12, 2024 by Sunny South News

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

Further changes are being made to a proposed Coalhurst animal control bylaw, but it hasn’t been passed yet.

During their regular Nov. 19 meeting, Coalhurst town council reviewed their draft Responsible Animal Control and Ownership Bylaw No. 456-24.

Previously, at their Sept. 17 meeting, council adopted three recommendations arising from a Committee of the Whole meeting  pertaining to the draft bylaw, which have since been incorporated into the bylaw. They also made wording changes, along with changes such as adding an animal rescue definition, cat licensing, researching a municipally managed TNR program, and developing a Responsible Pet Ownership Incentive Program.

Coun. Scott Akkerman asked if there was anything they could include on a cat license tag to help animal control with their duties, noting he would like to see something to help them navigate cat issues, CPO John Herasemluk said that most cats in Alberta tend to have microchips or tattoos, which can help vets to identify cats through a database.

Coun. Deborah Florence, referring to a previous motion, asked if, as they have a definition for ‘animal rescue’ in the bylaw was for provision for rules for animal rescues to come into Coalhurst, if it was adequate to juts have a definition for it, or if they need a section for it. Herasemluk said it was necessary to have the definition it there.

“It defines what an animal rescue is through our standards, and then if we were to regulate animal rescues through our bylaw, we have a definition, it lays out what an animal rescue is,” said Herasemluk, adding they can define it through further regulations.

CAO Karlene Betteridge said during committee of the whole discussions, they had also talked about the land use bylaw and zoning, noting that this may require further discussions around where “these types of things go”. They can take it back and bring it back to council with a draft animal rescue section included.

Mayor Lyndsay Montina agreed that if it had a definition in the bylaw, there should be “more written about it” once they’ve had that discussion on the LUB side of things.

Pass a motion to direct administration to bring back a recommendation on a draft regulation section animal rescues following considerations of implications to other town bylaws, and further that  amend section 4.3 of the draft bylaw be changed form “in the off-leash dog park” to  “any off-leash dog park”.