Animals

Pets can be wonderful companions but as a neighbour in a house or apartment building you need to understand the expectations on you as an animal owner, and how your pet might negatively affect your neighbours. There are by-laws about properly controlling your pet, noise, and cleaning up after your pet, and if you do not follow these rules you could be subject to fines or other serious consequences. If you are a renter, you could even be evicted from your home. 

The City of Ottawa has information on Animal Care and Control at:

http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/animal_care/index_en.html 

You can read the Dog Owner’s Liability Act

http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/animal_care/cats_dogs/dogs/liability_en.html 

You can also find more information about dog and cat registration, noise, pet identification programs and spaying or neutering your pet at:

http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/animal_care/cats_dogs/index_en.html 

Cleaning up after your dog

Dog waste is a public health hazard and can take the pleasure out of outdoor activities for many people. It also pollutes the environment. The City of Ottawa encourages flushing pet waste down the toilet, as it will be properly treated at the sewage plant. Dog owners can also place the waste in their regular garbage as long as it is properly wrapped in absorbent paper and placed in a sealed, leak proof bag. 

Failure to pick up after your dog is a by-law offence. It is also a by-law offence if you do not take it home and dispose of it in your own garbage. 

For more information on why you should pick up after your dog and the consequences for not doing so, visit: 

http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/animal_care/cats_dogs/dogs/stoop/stoop_scoop_en.html 

Dogs in parks

Parks are a great place to exercise your dog, but you should never do so without considering other people who use those parks. You need to understand when and where dogs are allowed, and if they must be leashed or if they are allowed off leash in certain areas. Many parks have signs that tell you what is expected. For more information about parks in Ottawa, please visit: 

http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/animal_care/cats_dogs/dogs/parks/index_en.html 

Wildlife

Encounters with wildlife in the city can range from squirrels on your porch to raccoons in your garbage – sometimes they are a normal part of sharing our natural environment and sometimes they can be a nuisance or a danger. If you have a problem with wildlife on your property, you should not try to approach or remove the animal as it might become afraid and aggressive and it might be carrying disease. You should call for help and have someone come in and take care of the situation. 

For more information on what to do with different types of wildlife, and who to call for help, please visit: 

http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/animal_care/wildlife_problem_en.html 

Rural Animals

Living in a rural area can mean interactions with many different animals including livestock, wild animals, migratory birds and domestic pets. There are rules and regulations for keeping different types of animals, as well as for hunting and wildlife management in rural areas. More information on all of these subjects can be found at: 

http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/rural_connections/livestock/index_en.html