We are writing to request an immediate review of the bylaws pertaining to animal rights and kenneling throughout the entire Windsor Essex County area.  Currently, these bylaws are lax in addressing numerous conditions when it comes to animal safety.

In light of the situation occurring at 138 Lions Club Drive in the town of Belle River, and the condition with which the domestic dogs are being kept within municipal limits, a discussion was had about the limitations in the bylaws which allowed for the inhumane treatment of animals and has sparked outrage and initiated discussion about town bylaws that need to be updated.  Unfortunately, not all citizens have the same moral compass when it comes to doing what is in the best interest of animals and it is up to us as a municipality to protect the voiceless.

We would ask that at a minimum, the animals set-out by the municipality of Essex be adopted:

https://www.essex.ca/en/town-hall/resources/BY-LAW-1606---Animal-Care-Control-BL-May-2017.pdf 

In addition to the current bylaws in place in the town of Essex, we ask that the following be added:

The Hiring/Tendering of Animal Control Workers:

1)    Institute a more thorough background check when it comes to the hiring process including animal control officers whereby if the candidate has been terminated from other local municipality due to conduct concerns, they would not be offered the position.

2)    If it was determined that the conduct of the current animal control officer was in question or if they had been removed from a position in another municipality due to conduct concerns that their position be terminated immediately.

Crates and Kennels:

Every person who owns and operates a kennel shall:

1)    Ensure that a shelter for one dog must be a min size such as 5 x 5 with a 3ft ceiling depending on the height of the dog. If the dog is 4ft then accommodate an extra 3 feet so the dog can stand and move.

2)    Comply with the guidelines set out in "A Code of Practice for Canadian Kennel Operations", (Canadian Veterinary Medical Association).

3)    Have adequate light, including natural and electric lighting

4)     Have windows that can be opened for proper ventilation

5)    Have an operational heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system with a working thermostat

6)     Have access to hot and cold running water on site

7)     Ensure the shelters are covered for all season weather.

8)     Ensure that the floor of the kennels be solid as opposed to wiring and that the ceiling above is solid to ensure they are not soaked when it rains.

9)    Domestic animal kennels will be kept on properties whereby the owner resides or where their business operations is located.

10) Ensure that animals that are crated or penned both on residential properties and in kennel situations outdoors will be crated for no longer than a stipulated number of hours at a time at which point they will be provided access to a large area where they can roam.

11) Ensure that animals being kept in crates of kennels outdoors will be entitled the opportunity for periodic exercise sufficient to maintain good health including the opportunity to be unfettered from a fixed area and exercised regularly under appropriate control

12)  Ensure access to a fenced area to the outside that permits the animal to access the outside area and return to the inside area on its own accord.

13) Maintain every run or pen area in a clean and sanitary condition at all times which shall include the removal and proper disposal of excrement, refuse and debris a minimum of twice daily or as often as required.

14) Ensure that every person who owns or operates a kennel shall ensure every run, pen, or exercise yard shall be surrounded by a sturdy fence with a minimum height of 1.52 meters (five feet).

Tethering:

15) Residential and kenneled domestic animals will not be tethered for longer than a set time of three hours per day.

16) No person shall keep any animal in the City tethered on a chain, rope or similar restraining device of less than three meters in length.

17) Every person who has tethered an animal shall ensure, at all times, that the animal has unrestricted movement within the range of the tether, and that the animal cannot suffer injury resulting from the tether.

18)  A person who has tethered an animal shall ensure that the animal is tethered in a manner that constrains the animal to the property to which the animal is tethered.

19) No person shall keep an animal tethered where a choke collar, choke chain, pronged collar or any similar device forms part of the tether.

20) No animal will be kept outdoors during extreme weather conditions.

21)  During extreme heat and cold, residential, and kenneled domestic animals will have access to relief in indoor temperature-controlled areas.

22) It will not be permitted to keep domestic kenneled animals in standalone structures that do not have access to interior temperature-controlled facilities on the premises.

Animals in Vehicles:

1)    No person shall allow an animal to be outside of the passenger cab of a motor vehicle on a roadway, regardless of whether the motor vehicle is moving or parked;

2)    A person may allow an animal to be outside the passenger cab of a motor vehicle, including riding in the back of a pick up truck or flat bed truck if the animal is:

a.    a) In a fully enclosed trailer;

b.    b) In a topper enclosing the bed area of a truck;

c.      c) Contained in a ventilated kennel or similar device securely fastened to the bed of the truck; or

d.    d) Securely tethered in such a manner that it is not standing on bare metal, cannot jump or be thrown from the vehicle, is not in danger of strangulation and cannot reach beyond the outside edges of the vehicle.

3)    The Owner of an animal shall not leave an animal unattended in a motor vehicle if the weather conditions are not suitable for containment of an animal;

4)    A Police Officer who has reasonable grounds to believe that an animal left unattended in a motor vehicle is in imminent physical danger may take steps to remove the animal from the vehicle and shall not be held liable for any damage to the vehicle by so doing.

We hope that these suggested amendments and additions to the current bylaws can be considered and implemented as soon as possible and we look forward to working with you to help evoke positive change in our community.

Attached is a link that lists the kennel bylaws for the township of Wellington North to utilize as an exemplar:

https://wellington-north.com/content/by-laws/kennel-operation-and-licensing-by-law-047-17.pdf

Recommendations provided by the Code of Practice for the Canadian Kennel Operations

https://www.canadianveterinarians.net/documents/code-of-practice-for-canadian-kennel-operations

Thank you for your consideration.