When pets become nuisance
THIS interesting by-law which was promulgated on March 24 2010, serves to regulate and control the keeping of pets and animals in order to prevent them from constituting a nuisance to residents in the area.
The by-law defines A pet as "a tame animal which is kept in a household”.
In terms of the provisions of the by-law no person in the metro is allowed to keep more than two dogs or two cats without first obtaining the necessary consent from the metro.
We very often see residents contravening this section which later leads to a lot of heartache when metro officials have to act and impound beloved animals and issue hefty fines.
A few months ago my office acted on a complaint and found that one resident kept 16 cats! The neighbours ran a play school and inevitably the cats became a huge health risk to the children.
The by-law specifically states that "no person may keep any dog which interferes with the comfort, peace or quiet of neighbours by barking, yelping, howling or whining.”
The rule of thumb is that if your pet Affects the use and enjoyment that another person has over his or her property, such animal constitutes a nuisance.
Another section of the by-law worth noting is the fact that no person is allowed to keep any animals other than pets without the written permission the municipality.
Should you require a copy of this by-law please do not hesitate to contact the Ward 6 office at (041)367-1670.