A bylaw change in Penticton, B.C., has resulted in a large adjustment for animal lovers in the South Okanagan city.
This week, city council amended its animal control bylaw, a move that’s been in the works since 2021. Part of the amendment included a limit on how many dogs, cats and bunnies are now allowed in each residence.
That limit: three dogs maximum, five cats maximum and five bunnies maximum, but no more than six animals total in one residence.
In a presentation to council, bylaw services said the city had no regulations in place regarding cats, rabbits, bees or hens.
“So the intent was to start educating and enforcing more responsible pet ownership overall,” bylaw services manager Tina Mercier told council on Tuesday.
Council was told there will be some exceptions that will fall under provincial jurisdiction, such as urban deer, raccoons and rodents.
Councillor Amelia Boultbee asked how bylaw came up with the maximum number of pets per residence. Council was told bylaw looked at other communities and what they allowed.
“When we looked at other communities, some had a limit of, pending where you went, three dogs, five dogs,” said Bigg.
“We’ve had situations with cats where … we had no regulation. So you could have 50 cats. We had bunnies hopping down the road. We have no regulations.”
Bigg continued, saying they looked at everything — area, population, noise consideration — and compared with other bylaws, they found a maximum of six companion animals.
The report to council said the city’s dog control program currently runs at a deficit ($29,817 in 2021), but that operational costs have been increasing.
Council’s decision regarding the bylaw amendment can be accessed online. The vote was 6-1 in favour, with councillor James Miller voting against.