Owen Sound Reviews 2024 Animal Control Activity, Recommends Dog By-law Changes
Fewer stray dogs, more pets finding homes — Owen Sound’s latest Animal Control report reveals surprising trends, big adoption wins, and changes coming to leash laws.
Owen Sound’s Corporate Services Committee will soon consider a recommendation to amend the City’s Dog By-law following the release of the “Animal Control 2024 Year in Review” report, submitted by Deputy Clerk Allison Penner.
The comprehensive staff report outlines operational highlights, statistical trends, financial breakdowns, and a set of proposed by-law amendments aimed at improving animal control services in the city.
Among the key findings: the number of investigations into dogs running at large dropped by more than 40% compared to 2023, and animal adoptions reached their highest level in recent years, with 245 cats and 135 dogs placed in new homes.
Contract Renewal and By-law Amendments
In December 2024, City Council awarded a new five-year contract for animal control services to longtime providers Todd and Renee Robins, extending their service through to December 31, 2029. The Robins have managed animal control and shelter services through the Owen Sound Animal Shelter (OSAS) since 1999.
Following the contract renewal, the Robins requested updates to the Dog By-law to improve clarity and support operational efficiency. Recommended amendments include:
Revised definitions of “attack” and “dangerous dog” for clarity.
Removal of maximum leash length requirements for non-dangerous dogs.
Increased flexibility in accepting witness statements during investigations.
Reinstating animal control officers’ authority to issue leash and muzzle orders.
These proposed changes are expected to streamline enforcement and reflect practical realities encountered in the field.
Animal Shelter Statistics and Trends
The 2024 data shows some notable changes compared to the previous year:
Adoptions: 245 cats and 135 dogs were adopted through OSAS in 2024, up from 210 cats and 125 dogs in 2023.
Licences Issued: 563 total animal licences were issued in 2024 (21 cat, 542 dog), slightly down from 596 in 2023.
Animals Received: 233 cats and 194 dogs entered the shelter in 2024. Of these, 9 cats and 55 dogs were reclaimed by their owners.
Calls and Complaints: 4,009 calls, emails, and complaints were handled in 2024 — a 9% increase over 2023’s 3,668.
The volume of contacts remained consistent throughout the year, with July marking the busiest month (421), and February the least active (251).
Enforcement Activity
In terms of enforcement, there were fewer dog-at-large investigations in 2024 (31) compared to 2023 (54), a 43% decline. This may suggest improved public compliance with the City’s leash regulations, although the report doesn’t assess causation.
Other investigation statistics for 2024 include:
12 reports of aggressive dogs or bites (up from 5 in 2023)
2 leash and muzzle orders issued (unchanged)
11 cat-at-large cases (down from 35)
3 reports of too many dogs
1 exotic animal case
The report also notes that enforcement continues to be supplemented by public submissions through the City's "Report a Concern" portal.
Operational and Financial Overview
The City paid the Robins $58,556.16 in 2024, with the monthly fee increasing to $8,388.28 in 2025 under the new contract, totaling $100,659.36 annually. In 2024, the contractor retained $70,712 in service and adoption fees, while the City retained $85,789, a substantial increase from the $46,216.24 retained in 2023.
Additional costs paid by the City in 2024 included:
$12,349 for spay and neuter services
$11,309 for veterinary care
$1,238 for dog tags
$35,227 in utilities and facility maintenance
$4,676 in capital improvements (ongoing)
A partnership with DocuPet, launched in 2024, is expected to boost licensing compliance and reduce staff workload by digitizing pet licensing and renewal processes. The results of this initiative will be reviewed in the 2025 annual report.
Support from Other Municipalities
The OSAS also serves the Township of Georgian Bluffs, the Town of Hanover, and the Saugeen First Nation under separate agreements.
While the contractor pays $100/month per municipality for use of the facility, beginning in 2026, those municipalities will be asked to contribute to capital costs based on population ($0.60 per capita), potentially generating $8,310 in annual revenue.
Community Engagement
In 2024, the Robins continued extensive outreach and education efforts, including:
Weekly features on Rogers TV (“Adorable Adoptables”) and Mix 106.5 FM (“Mix Zoo”)
A pet food bank with the Salvation Army
School visits and education programs on responsible pet ownership
Seasonal events like a rabies clinic, pet photos with Santa, and a tattoo fundraiser
The shelter’s online presence also remained strong, with 2,300 monthly website interactions and approximately 12,800 monthly Facebook engagements.
Looking Ahead
City Council will review the proposed by-law amendments later this month. If approved, the changes will be brought forward in a formal by-law for adoption.
For more information, the full staff report (CR-25-053) is available via the May 8, 2025, Corporate Services Committee meeting agenda on the City’s website.
Related:
