A decades-old stipulation that essentially allowed any Guelph-Eramosa resident to kill a dog simply for straying from its own property at night has been repealed by council here.
The move was made to ensure the township’s animal control bylaw coincides with the province’s Livestock, Poultry and Honey Bee Protection Act.
At the time of its passing in 1990, the act stated any person may kill a dog if it is:
– found killing or injuring livestock or poultry;
– discovered between sunset and sunrise straying from the premises where it is kept; and
– found straying at any time, and not under proper control, upon premises where livestock and poultry are kept.
In 2003 the act was amended to remove the second stipulation, but until last month it remained part of Guelph-Eramosa’s own bylaw.
“This makes sense to me,” councillor Cory Woods said of bringing the township’s regulations up to date.
He added he never liked that anyone could just kill a dog because it was walking around at night. The rest of council agreed and unanimously passed a resolution to adopt a new animal control bylaw that repeals the section allowing persons to kill a straying dog between sunset and sunrise. The sections allowing farmers to kill dogs that pose a threat to livestock or poultry remain in both the township bylaw and the provincial legislation.
