Residents who think they can get away without paying for municipal dog tags might be barking up the wrong tree.
The issue came up under at Wellington North council when councillor Andy Lennox said, “It was recently brought to my attention that there may be some dog tag amounts that were uncollected in 2010.”
He asked what mechanism the municipality has to collect those revenues.
“The word seems to be being spread around that it’s not being collected, so some are refusing to pay.”
Treasurer John Jeffery said his understanding is dog tags can be purchased at the municipal office, or two individuals are employed by the township to go door-to-door collecting the fees throughout the municipality.
Jeffery said if no one is home, and the person had purchased a tag in prior years, or it is obvious there is a dog on the premises – a notice would be left with information and telephone numbers to ease the purchase of the dog tag – either at the municipal office or through a return visit by the person who left the notice.
“I think what’s been alluded to is the fact that some of these people are not responding to these notices, whether it is absolute refusal, or they just keep forgetting about it.”
Jeffery said if it appears to be unsuccessful in the sale of the dog tag, notices would be sent from the clerk’s office requesting the person come in to purchase a tag.
“If the refusal continues to go on …” he was uncertain what would happen.
He noted that last year, the previous council included dog tags win it’s new fees and charges bylaw. He said that gives the municipality power, in the event of non-payment, so the fees can be added to property taxes for collection.
“That provision is included within the Municipal Act,” Jeffery said.
“The problem with that is in the event of an individual renting a property. The only person who would end up paying through the property taxes would be the landlord.”
He added the municipality has had similar types of issues before.
“Obviously the landlord has no interest in the dog. We’ve never put dog tag fees onto the property taxes for various reasons.”
He said one of the things that had stopped the municipality in the past was the fees were never officially part of the fees and charges bylaw. Now they are.
“Some people might say it is a relatively small amount of money that we’d be putting on the taxes.”
However, he said if the municipality does not do that or come up with another plan to collect the fees, “eventually no one is going to want to pay or buy a dog tag.”
Revenues from the tags help pay for the services of the municipality’s animal control officer and the costs associated with livestock kills by dogs.
Mayor Ray Tout said if people want a particular service provided, it has to be revenue neutral and there has to be money coming in to pay for the service.
“Somehow, we have to pay the bill as well.”
He added that it is within the bylaw that if the individual refuses to pay for a dog tags, it can be enforced by adding it onto property taxes.
Jeffrey noted that with the landlord and tenant situation, it is not the first time the municipality has run into similar types of issues regarding collections.
Township CAO/Clerk Lori Heinbuch said that last year, the municipality also started a process of revamping its animal control bylaw. While part of it was to deal with kennels, she said it will also require an amendment to the zoning bylaw with respect to kennels.
She anticipated that should be in place within a few months.
Once the new animal control bylaw is in place, it will be able to be enforced under the Provincial Offenses Act, and tickets can be issued to law breakers.
Tout was pleased to hear there will be a way to enforce the laws.
Jeffery hopes that would solve part of the problem, if not all of it.
“It’s great that we have some provisions available. We certainly need all the revenue we can get our hands on,” Lennox said.
