Animal Control & Licensing

A lifetime dog licence can be purchased at the Orillia City Centre at 50 Andrew Street South on the first floor or at the following locations:

• Critter Cove - 180 Front Street South
• OSPCA Orillia Branch - 467 West Street North

The cost for a licence is $75.00. 

Licences are not transferable to another dog.  A maximum of two dogs is permitted per dwelling unit. 

Dogs under the age of 12 weeks do not require a licence.

• You must provide proof that your dog(s) has been inoculated with a non-expired anti-rabies vaccine when you purchase the licence.
• Please note that Ontario Regulation 567 under the Health Promotion and Protection Act requires all dogs three months of age or over to be immunized against rabies at all times. All aspects of compliance with Ontario Regulation 567 under the Health Promotion and Protection Act, are the exclusive and sole responsibility of the person having care or custody of the animal that is required to be immunized against rabies

If you have further questions about dog licensing, please call the City's Animal Control division at 705-325-2110.

When taking your dog for a walk, all dogs must be on a leash no longer than 10 feet (3 metres) in length when off its owner's property and must be kept under control at all times. Please remember to stoop and scoop. 

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.

The City of Orillia provides 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.

Emergency Services - After Hours

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.

Enforcement - Dog Bites

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.

Enforcement - Animal Cruelty

If you need to 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, please contact the Ontario Animal Protection Call Centre at 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.  

There is no by-law in the City of Orillia that prohibits cats from running at large.  To deter cats from entering your property:

• Plant Rue herb in your garden.  this is a flowering herb available at local nurseries. 
• Plan Plectranthus Caninus, better known as "Scaredy Cat Plant", in your Garden.  This is also available at local nurseries. 
• Plan a clean margarine container with holes punched in the lid, with a cloth in it soaked in household bleach in the area where you want to keep cats out.  The odour of the bleach coming through the holes in the container lid is a deterrent. 

If you have any questions regarding these tips, please contact the Orillia OSPCA at 705-325-1304.

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:

• Spaying/Neutering helps to reduce the overpopulation of cats in the City and the significant number of cats that are housed at the OSPCA shelter, as well as reduces the burden placed on volunteer rescue groups. 
• Spayed/neutered cats are more relaxed.  They are not driven to mate and are less likely to roam. 
• Neutering tends to diminish aggressive behaviour towards other animals and decreases the likelihood of fight-related injuries. 
• Altered cats are less likely to spray. 

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. 

If you are interested in adopting a cat, please contact:

• Orillia OSPCA - 705-325-1304
• Comfie Cat Shelter - 705-326-1545