Good neighbours are responsible pet owners! Many pets live and enjoy northern life in Wood Buffalo; with the beautiful Birchwood Trails, spacious off-leash parks, and a variety of pet stores, animal support organizations, and veterinary clinics, the amenities for our four-legged friends are abundant.
The RMWB also advocates for the safety and well- being of all animals. Bylaw Services plays an integral role in ensuring pet owners have emergency support services, safe off-leash parks, and the ability to reunite with lost pets. Non-pet owners are provided with professional dispute resolution support to promote community safety and responsible pet ownership.
You have the purr-fect opportunity to do your part by being knowledgeable pet owners. After all, pets are neighbours too.
Top three things you can do as a responsible pet owner:
- License your pet
- Keep your pet on a leash when not on your property or in off-leash areas
- Pick up and dispose your pet waste properly
Licensing your pet
In the RMWB, it is a pet owner’s lawful duty to register pets within 1 day of becoming a pet owner or taking up residency within the Municipality. There are many benefits to licensing your pets: should your pet ever get lost, a registered pet is easily identifiable and returned to its owners as quickly as possible.
Having the most accurate pet population documented can help identify the needs for our region in terms of recreational pet services, health services, and emergency response services.
Licensing your pet is extremely affordable! For only $25 annually, all neutered pets (cats and dogs) can be official RMWB residents. If your pet is not neutered, the fee is $60. Pet owners over the age of 60 years can register their furry companions at no cost!
Pets at large
Occasionally pets can escape the safety of their permitted property and become "at large." By having your pets licensed and wearing an issued license tag, pets are easily identified and can be returned home.
If you see a pet at large, do not approach it unless it comes to you and appears to have a soft, relaxed, and happy demeanor. Contact PULSE to report the animal so it can be returned home safe and sound as quickly as possible.
If your pet has escaped and is now lost, it could be with Bylaw Services. The RMWB Animal Control In-Care Gallery displays photos and descriptions of cats and dogs that have been found in the community.
Pets in public
While we see our own pets as family, some people do not enjoy or are frightened of animals. Being mindful of this, as well as the fact that animals can be unpredictable in undesirable or uncomfortable situations, it is necessary to follow certain precautions with your pets when in public.
Pets must be on a leash at all times when outside their owner’s or guardian’s property, unless at an allocated off-leash park.
If any animal defecates on a property that is not the owner’s property, the owner must remove the waste immediately.
How to dispose animal waste
- Double bag your animal waste and put it into a park garbage bin.
- Keep the pet waste and put it in a Green Cone composter.
- Double bag your animal waste and take it to the municipal landfill located 1.6 kilometres south of Highway 63.
Even the most adorable pets have their moments. Be responsible for your pets and prevent pet safety issues. No animal can attack, threaten, harass, chase, bite or injure any person or other animal.
Backyard hens
In 2021, RMWB passed the Backyard Hen Bylaw supporting a Backyard Hen Pilot Project within the region. The pilot project is limited to a maximum of 50 properties across the Municipality for a 24-month period beginning May 1, 2021. Learn more about the project at rmwb.ca/hens.
Livestock
Livestock, fowl or fur-bearing animals (other than domestic pets), are not permitted in any residential districts. However, horses, donkeys, goats, llamas, alpacas, and other similar animals may be kept as pets or for personal enjoyment on lots of greater than 0.809 hectares in the residential districts of Saprae Creek, Conklin, Draper, Janvier and Anzac; and a maximum of three horses is permitted on any single lot where the Development Authority is satisfied that the animals are confined.
Wildlife
We live in the north, and with that comes wildlife. Any animal in the region can pose a threat if they are surprised or if the encounter is not handled properly. For information about preventing and managing human encounters with bears, cougars, coyotes, wolves and other wildlife, visit Government of Alberta: Living with wildlife.
Sighting can be reported to our local Fish and Wildlife Office at 780-743-7200 or the 24/7 Report a Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800.