On Monday, specialty pet owners and supporters had a big win! With a 3:1 vote, the standing committee approved a motion to drop the exotics component from the Responsible Pet Ownership By-law Review. The city of Winnipeg is now on hold in considering any changes to the existing exotics bylaw. In order for this huge success to become final, the motion must also be passed by the Executive Policy Committee (April 20) and a full Council vote (April 28). Time is of the essence! Please email the councilors below on the Executive Policy Committee to express how much you want them to uphold and support the motion for exotics to be removed from the RPO review. Explain how much your pets mean to you and that you don’t want the city to consider banning them any longer.

Manitoba Canary and Finch Club supports the city in keeping the current exotic prohibited list the same. Winnipeg Animal Service’s proposal to have an approved-only species list would see almost all exotic pets automatically banned (e.g., birds, reptiles, small mammals).

Members of the Executive Policy Committee:

His Worship Mayor Brian Bowman, Chairperson - mayor@winnipeg.ca

Councillor Matt Allard - mallard@winnipeg.ca

Councillor Jeff Browaty - jbrowaty@winnipeg.ca

Councillor Markus Chambers - markuschambers@winnipeg.ca (Chambers previously voted in support of removing exotics from the RPO review)

Councillor Cindy Gilroy - cgilroy@winnipeg.ca

Councillor Brian Mayes - bmayes@winnipeg.ca

Councillor Sherri Rollins - srollins@winnipeg.ca (Rollins previously voted against removing exotics from the RPO review and expressed support for developing an approved-only species list that would result in the automatic ban of any pet not on the list)