Toronto has introduced some new rules for pet owners. This is what you need to know

A proposal that would have banned cats from roaming free in Toronto has been rejected by city council, but there are a few other rules that pet owners should be aware of.

The motion, which was considered by council on Wednesday, would scrub an exception for cats in Toronto’s Municipal Code and make it so they would not be permitted outdoors while not on a leash.

The motion was brought forward due to concern that cats could be a danger to local ecosystems and are at risk of being hit by vehicles or attacked by wildlife.

At the time, Ward 17 Counc. Shelley Carroll said moved the motion because she truly thought residents didn’t want free-roaming cats.

“It is horrendously traumatic when you find a cat that has met with misfortune.”

Toronto Mayor John Tory spoke before the council meeting to voice his disapproval of the change, saying that it wasn’t high up on his priority list and would be fairly difficult to enforce.

“I just don’t think we need our licensing people, who are very busy dealing with genuine safety issues, running around and chasing Fluffy the cat,” he said.

On Wednesday, officials said city council rejected the motion while also making some amendments to Toronto’s animal bylaws, changes they say will “modernize” the legislation.

The amendments now prohibit the feeding of wildlife in Toronto, with the exceptions of feeding birds using birdfeeders.

Prior to this amendment, feeding wildlife was only prohibited in Toronto parks. This will change on April 1, 2023, when residents will no longer be allowed feed wildlife on both public and private properties.

The city said it hopes this new rule will help prevent conflict between wild animals, humans and their pets. A public education campaign will be launched in the fall to inform residents of the new regulations.

Council also added a provision that limits the number of guinea pigs and rabbits owned in a single household to four. This amendment will go into effect on Dec. 1, however the city has said that if residents have more than four guinea pigs or rabbits as of that time, they will be permitted to keep up to 10 pets.

For those who own domestic pigeons, the city is now capping the number of animals owned per property to 30. There will be allowances during breeding season that allow that allow owners to have up to 50 pigeons between April and October.

Dog owners will have to remove waste from their property within 24 hours, officials said, while pets who are kept outdoors must have adequate shelter.

The city also changed fees related to animal impoundment and protective care. For domestic animals other than a cat or dog, the impound fee is now $30 for the first 24 hours and $10 for each subsequent day. Owners surrendering a domestic animal will have to pay about $59 if the pet weighs more than 45 kilograms or about $35 if the pet is below that weight threshold.

Pet owners of prohibited animals, however, will now have to pay $140 plus the cost incurred by the city.

The changes suggested to the animal bylaws were approved without much debate.