ONTARIO – Cats and dogs must now be kept under control and contained in Ontario. 

At its July 18 meeting, Ontario city council unanimously passed an ordinance, effective immediately, that revises its former animal control legislation to include cats and dogs among the list of animals and fowl that owners must keep contained.

Section 505.01 of Ontario’s codified ordinances previously stated the owners of cattle, horses, swine, sheep, geese, ducks, goats, turkeys, chickens or other fowl or animals should not permit them to run loose in any public place, any unenclosed lands or someone else’s property.

It later addresses dogs, saying that the owners of any dog must keep it confined or restrained on their property and must keep the dog under reasonable control. The owners of female dogs must always keep the creature on their property or on a leash while it’s in heat.

But it never specifically mentioned cats, which is what prompted the conversation in Dec. 2017. At that time, fourth ward councilman Dan Zeiter requested permission to work with law director Andrew Medwid to draft legislation on the matter. He then described a situation in which at least 11 cats were roaming his neighborhood freely.

“The neighborhood is at our wit’s ends,” Zeiter said. “This is kind of personal, but it could happen to any one of us.”

The situation prompted him to investigate animal control laws, and he found that other cities have passed laws limiting the number of cats and dogs per household or requiring that they be contained.

“I think everyone would agree 11 is too many,” Zeiter said in December.

Several council members agreed about the containment portion.

“I don’t know if it’s the number as much as it is the containment,” at-large councilman Ken Earhart said.

Whether it be a dog, cat or even a pot-bellied pig, at-large councilman Eddie Gallo said containment should be the “goal” of the legislation.

“I think we should stay away from the number,” he said.

The legislation didn’t mention a limit on the number of animals per household.

The legislation was first seen by council in June and read three times before members voted to approve it.