Contact(s)
Leaving pets in hot vehicles? Not cool.
On a hot day, rolling down the window or parking in the shade is not enough. An animal left unattended in a vehicle – even with the window down – could face serious illness or death.
The most dramatic rise in temperature occurs within the first 10 minutes that a vehicle is idle. Even at an outdoor temperature of only 25ºC, the inside temperature of a car can reach 34ºC in as little as 10 minutes and up to 50ºC by the time an hour has passed. A dog’s normal body temperature is about 39°C and a temperature of 41°C can’t be withstood for long. Animals can die of heatstroke within 15 minutes.
Make sure you are practicing proper heat safety to keep your pets safe and sound:
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Limit exercise on hot days.
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Shady spots offer little protection on hot days and move with the sun.
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Make sure your pet has plenty of water.
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Never leave pets unattended by the beach, lake or pool.
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Never leave your pet in a hot vehicle, even for a few minutes. The inside temperature of a car can quickly climb to dangerous levels, even with the windows cracked open or when parked in a shady spot.
Pets should never be left unattended in a hot vehicle, even for a couple minutes. The City of Orillia Care of Animals By-law sets out enforcement for doing so:
285.3.2 Animal - inside motor vehicle – distress
No person shall cause or permit an animal to be in distress while the animal is inside a motor vehicle. Where a Police Officer has removed an animal from a motor vehicle, any Officer may seize and impound the animal to relieve the animal from distress.
285.2.4 Distress - defined
“distress” means:
(a) the state of being in need or appearing to be in need of proper care, water, food, or shelter, or;
(b) being or appearing to be injured, sick, in pain, or suffering.
If you leave an animal in a hot vehicle in the City of Orillia, you could be fined:
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Up to $25,000 on a first offence;
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Up to $50,000 on any subsequent offence.
Your pets feel the heat just like you do! During hot weather, stay safe and keep your pet at home.
If an animal is observed in a vehicle and appears in critical distress, call 911.
- If it is a non-emergency during regular By-law business hours (Monday to Saturday), call the City of Orillia animal control line at 705-325-2110;
- If it is a non-emergency outside regular By-law business hours, call the Ontario Provincial Police non-emergency line at 1-888-310-1122.
Dogs
Dog Licensing | ||||||||||||
All dog owners in Orillia must license their dog(s). On December 10, 2020, Council implemented a lifetime dog licence which replaces the former annual/multi-year licensing. |
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Things You Need to Know | ||||||||||||
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Leash-Free Dog Zones | ||||||||||||
The City has two leash-free dog zones: Clayt French Park on Atlantis Drive and Kitchener Park on Kitchener Street. There is a limit of two dogs per guardian and dogs must be licenced and vaccinated. | ||||||||||||
Noise | ||||||||||||
No owner of a dog shall allow their dog to howl, bark excessively, or become a nuisance. This prohibition is in effect 24 hours per day. | ||||||||||||
Enforcement - Dogs | ||||||||||||
Effective April 1, 2022, City of Orillia by-law enforcement will take over providing services related to animal control for dogs from the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Ontario SPCA) Orillia Animal Centre. The City's Municipal By-law Enforcement Officers are primarily responsible for enforcing by-law violations related to dogs, including dogs at large, barking and disturbing the peace, and stoop and scoop issues. They can be reached at 705-325-2110. The Ontario SPCA Orillia Animal Centre will remain the facility where stray dogs will be sheltered. |
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Emergency Services - After Hours |
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The City's Municipal By-law Enforcement Officers provide after-hours emergency services related to dogs such as responding to stray dogs that are injured or sick. To report an emergency, call the animal control line at 705-325-2110. |
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Enforcement - Dog Bites |
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If a dog bites a person or pet, the Ontario Provincial Police is the agency responsible for enforcing that matter and be reached at 1-888-310-1122, or 911 (if emergency). When reporting a dog bite, you need to provide accurate information pertaining to the incident (date, time and location), dog owner information and a description of the dog. The Dog Owner's Liability Act outlines the dog owner's responsibility to prevent a bite or an attack. |
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Enforcement - Animal Cruelty |
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Who do I report concerns regarding an owned animal that is in distress or being neglected such as injured, in pain, sick, suffering, or abused, or lack of proper care, water, food or shelter? Contact the Ontario Animal Protection Call Centre: 1-833-9-ANIMAL. These situations fall under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act and are enforced by provincial inspectors, as opposed to the City’s Municipal By-law Enforcement Officers. |
Exotic Animals
What animals are prohibited under the Exotic Animal By-law? |
The full list of prohibited animals is within Schedule "A" of the by-law. There is a significant range of animals on the prohibited list including poisonous and venomous reptiles, as well as tigers, monkeys, ducks and chickens. |
Does the by-law apply to all snakes? |
All venomous/poisonous snakes are prohibited, as well as anacondas and all snakes of the families pythonidae and boidae. Furthermore, any snake that is wild and brought captive is prohibited. This means that other snakes such as corn snakes, milk snakes, bull snakes and king snakes are permitted, provided such snakes were not wild and brought captive. |
Does the by-law apply to all lizards? |
All venomous or poisonous lizards are prohibited. Lizards that exceed two meters in length are prohibited. However, other lizards such as leopard geckos and bearded dragons are permitted, provided they were not wild and brought captive. |
I have questions that are not on this list. Who can I call? |
Contact the animal control line at 705-325-2110 for more information. |
Cats
Do Cats Need to be Licenced? |
No. There is no by-law in the City of Orillia that requires cats to be licenced. |
Are Cats Allowed to Run at Large? |
There is no by-law in the City of Orillia that prohibits cats from running at large. To deter cats from entering your property:
If you have any questions regarding these tips, please contact the Orillia OSPCA at 705-325-1304. |
Why Spay/Neuter Your Cat? |
Based on the current cat population and the fact that cats reproduce at substantially high rates (up to 18 kittens per cat per year), it is clear that the cat population will not decrease over time unless cat owners do their part by spaying or neutering their cats. Benefits of spaying/neutering your cat:
The City encourages cat owners to visit the OSPCA at www.ontariospca.ca to learn more about spaying and neutering and to locate a clinic. |
Where Can I Adopt a Cat? |
If you are interested in adopting a cat, please contact:
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