Sheep and goats could be coming to a backyard near you in the near future.
Roosters, though, may be getting the boot and if you breed snakes, you would have to register with the city.
But the biggest change to animal control in Guelph would be a mandatory $25 fee to register your cat as of 2018.
Those are some of the recommendations in a proposed new animal control bylaw that would replace the four animal control bylaws currently governing domestic animals, exotic animals and poultry in the city.
The new proposed bylaw goes to the Committee of the Whole meeting on Dec. 5 and to council for final debate and decision on Dec. 19.
Under certain conditions, up to two sheep and goats on up to 12 properties would be part of a pilot project. If all goes well, it could become a permanent part of the bylaw down the road.
Cat licencing will be voluntary in 2017 and mandatory in 2018. The cost would be $25, with $5 of that going to a "cat welfare" program. A 50 per cent subsidy will be available for those that qualify.
City staff is recommending a review on the issue of cats roaming free in the city be done, pointing out that in in 2015 there were 584 cats brought in as strays to the Guelph Humane Society. Of those cats, only 77 were reclaimed by their owners.
Doug Godfrey, the city's general manager of Operations, said the intent of cat licencing is to improve reclaim rates of stray cats — a service that is currently funded by revenue from the sale of dog licenses.
“The best approach to improving rates is to ensure cats are identified whether that is through micro chipping or with a collar and identification tag," Godfrey said in a news release.
The new bylaw would require to anyone breeding snakes in the city to register them in order to assist emergency services personnel that might have to enter the property.
“To better serve the community, we have taken the four bylaws and amendments that address animal control issues in
The new proposed bylaw is the result of three years of work by the Animal Control Working Group, which included city staff, community and stakeholders.
Public consultation was done through online submissions.
In 2015, 81 people submitted written feedback at four public meetings and 2,100 distinct online survey responses were received, the city said, on areas including licensing, animals in public spaces, exotic animals, and limits on animals
