Municipal staff here were directed to pursue a five-year agreement with a new animal control services provider.
Since amalgamation, animal control services in Minto have been provided by Jim Renwick, who responds to complaints to capture dogs at large and keep them at his “pound” facility in former Minto Township, explained CAO Bill White in a staff report on Nov. 8.
Revenue for the service comes from the sale of dog tags facilitated by front line staff, including the fire prevention/bylaw enforcement officer who follows up at properties to sell tags.
The report notes that at one time, Renwick provided some wildlife collection services for the town upon request, including dealing with racoons with distemper or nuisance skunks.
The town has discontinued this service and now works with the OPP to collect some wildlife in urban areas or on municipal roads that are a potential danger to persons.
Calls for service about nuisance wildlife on private lands are now referred to private businesses residents can hire for assistance.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources is no longer of much help in this regard due to service reductions,” White notes in the report.
Since animal control services have never been out for bid, White explained staff recently informed Renwick the town would be calling for quotations on this work. He was provided a quote package along with two other service providers in this area, and a facility in Owen Sound, the report states.
Quotations were received from two service providers: K9 Animal Services of Moorefield and R&R Pet Paradise in Minto.
The K9 animal services quotation included a monthly cost of $1,100, plus $100 per call on weekdays and $175 per call after hours; a vet allowance of $400; boarding charges of $45 per night; court charges of $50 per day; and 40 cents per kilometre for travel outside Minto.
R&R Pet Paradise submitted two options:
– $1,100 per month, plus $25 per night for boarding, 50 cents per km for travel related to court or special circumstances excluding calls; or
– $800 per month, plus $100 per call on weekdays and $150 per call after hours; boarding charges of $25 per night and 50 cents per km for travel related to court or special circumstances, excluding calls, outside Minto.
White pointed out Minto annually sells about 1,000 dog tags, generating revenue of around $19,000.
“The cost of the service provider for animal control will be less than revenue received for tags regardless of which service provider selected,” the report states.
Councillor Ron Elliott expressed concern about the town not providing wildlife control services.
“Animals with distemper, skunks and such … I’ve had calls several times,” said Elliott.
“I see that the private homeowner’s got to take care of that crazy skunk that’s at his doorstep. The unfortunate part of asking them to pay for someone to come and out do that is some people can’t afford to pay.
“I just think it’s a service we should provide.”
White noted that although Renwick did provide such services “on a limited basis,” neither of the businesses responding to the quote request will handle wildlife calls and the municipality does not provide the service on private property.
“On a municipal street or park we are able to go after them, but we are not going out to people’s backyards and picking up animals with distemper or any kind of animal like that,” White stated.
“I don’t recommend you get into wildlife control here,” White told council, adding the current practice is to provide numbers of private service providers to people calling about nuisance animals. The contracts before council he stressed, “are for dogs only, not wildlife.”
“I think we have to separate it out,” agreed Mayor George Bridge, who noted the municipality has had discussions with OPP and public health officials about who should be responsible for such matters.
“It’s like a download onto us,” said Bridge. “If they’re concerned about rabies or raccoons or something that’s happening, the OPP have said they will do this. They are the ones with the guns. We don’t have a guy going out with a gun and shooting at something.
“It’s going to be a big expense … its something that was downloaded on the municipalities.”
Elliott said, “If people can’t afford it they’re just going to leave it. So I don’t know what to do. What’s very frustrating is that it could be a danger to our own people.”
While the quotation process allowed for bids up to five years, neither bidder provided pricing beyond the first year.
Staff was directed to negotiate a five-year contract with R&R Pet Paradise.
