Less than one third of dogs in Toronto are licensed

TORONTO – The majority of dogs and cats in Toronto do not have a license, despite a municipal bylaw requiring owners to buy one and renew it every year.

The estimate is about 30 per cent of dogs and only 10 per cent of cats are licensed, Mary Lou Leiher of Toronto Animal Services said.

Despite the low numbers, enforcement officers have only handed out eight tickets for unlicensed dogs in 2014.

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“Education is more effective than enforcement,” Leiher said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Education is more effective than enforcement," Leiher said.

At the Kingston Road Animal Hospital, Veterinarian Jonathan Mitelman says he doesn’t make a point of asking dog and cat owners when they come in if they have a license.

But, he said, he believes strongly in a program that helps to fund spay and neutering programs in Toronto.   He compares the low percentage of owners who license their pets to only one in three drivers having to pay for a toll road –  the majority gets a free ride.

Animal Services annual budget is $10.7 million and $3.1 million of that comes from adoption and licensing fees.

Leiher declined to answer if there should be more effort put into enforcing the bylaw.

“A fine is always the last resort” she says.

The city is planning an education blitz in the new year to convince more pet owners to get a license.