Animal Services | Municipality of West Perth

Please Note: Nuisance non-domesticated animals (i.e. skunks, raccoons, possums, etc.) are not dealt with through the Municipality of West Perth. You can contact local trappers to rid your property of these animals at your cost. The Municipality does not make recommendations on animal removal services. To find services search, "Wildlife Removal."

Animal Protection Services

The Stratford Perth Humane Society has been providing animal control services for residents in the Municipality of West Perth since November 1, 2019. These services are limited to regulating dogs. Details can be found in the Animal Control By-law 59-2024 or by reading the information provided below.

Residents of the Municipality should call the Stratford Perth Humane Society at 519-273-6600 for the following:

To report by-law violations (except barking dogs)
To report stray animals
- The Stratford Perth Humane Society can accept stray cats however they strongly suggest people call first as they may not have space available and cats may have to be placed on a waiting list. Stray cats will not be picked up and must be brought to the Stratford Perth Humane Society.
To report a lost or found pet
To report sick/injured animals
- The Stratford Perth Humane Society can help with sick/injured cats and sick/injured wildlife.
To report a dog bite
To report a dead domestic animal
To report dead wildlife (dead wildlife on public property is collected at no charge)

The Stratford Perth Humane Society is located at 125 Griffith Road, Stratford.
They can be reached by phone at 519-273-6600

Lost and Found Pets

If you see a dog running at large, please contact the Stratford Perth Humane Society. More information about lost and found pets is available on their webpage.

The Stratford Perth Humane Society tries to reunite all lost pets with their owners, however if they are unable to, they hope to adopt them out to new forever homes in the community.

Dog Licences, Tags and Kennels

Dog owners are required to obtain a licence and tag for their dog. In 2021, the Municipality moved to a generic dog tag system with no year on the tag. You are issued an annual invoice for the dog fees as per the Animal ByLaw. Your dog will have the same tag while they reside in West Perth. (see By-law 59-2024).

2026 Dog licence fees are due February 27, 2026.

Invoices are sent out at the beginning of each year to registered dog owners, and payment is due before the end of February. Please ensure that the tag is attached to the dog at all times when it is off your property. A dog tag is the best form of ID for your dog, as it will assist in recovering your dog if it is lost. If you are unsure if your dog is registered, contact the Municipal Office.

Submit a Dog Tag Application

Fill out the Dog Tag Application form. Payment can be made at the Municipal Office, or by mailing the application form and a cheque for payment to the Municipality of West Perth. We will register your dog and send the tag to you by mail, or you can pick it up at the Municipal Office. Owners must make rabies shot information available to the Municipality on request.

You don't need to re-submit an application. There are a number of ways to pay your annual dog fees:

Mail a cheque: payable to The Municipality of West Perth to 160 Wellington Street PO Box 609, Mitchell ON, N0K 1N0;
Municipal Office drop-box (cheques only): Grey deposit box to the right of the entrance;
Telephone or online banking: Select "West Perth (Mun) Water/Sewer" as the payee and use your 10-digit customer number on your invoice;
Your financial institution: can also make these payments if you provide them with the invoice.

We ask that you please contact the municipal office by calling 519-348-8429 or emailing info@westperth.com so they may be removed from our database, preventing you from receiving an invoice the following year.

Anyone who wishes to obtain a kennel licence must complete an application form (see By-law 59-2024). Forms are available at the municipal office. It is important to contact the municipal office prior to building any type of kennel structure, etc. as there are certain zoning requirements and standards in place.

Dog and Kennel licence fees

The Municipality of West Perth is pleased to offer residents the option to receive dog tag licence notices by email. This paperless option helps reduce paper and postage waste while allowing pet owners to conveniently store and access their licence information electronically. With E-Send, notices can be accessed anytime, anywhere you have email access.

E-Send form

By-laws and Fines

Any person who contravenes any section of this By-Law is guilty of an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to a fine in accordance with the provisions of the Provincial Offences Act, R.S.O. 1990, C. P.33, as amended, plus the costs provided for in the said Act and such penalty shall be recoverable as set out under the Act.

See Schedule B Set Fines - By-law 59-2024

The three (3) dog limit in an urban zone and four (4) dog limit in a rural zone shall apply where the dog is a domestic pet and is not belonging to a kennel for the purposes of breeding, boarding or sporting/hunting.

See By-law 59-2024 (Part III)

A kennel licence must be obtained from the Municipality for an annual fee as per the current Fees and Charges By-Law.

The Kennel Application must be provided to the By-law Enforcement Officer annually January 1st of the year following the last licence issued.

See By-law 59-2024 (Part IV)

No person shall allow a dog to run at large in the Municipality of West Perth.

A dog "running at large" shall mean a dog that is not on the property of the owner and not on a leash and/or under the control of a person responsible.

If a dog is found running at large it may be seized and impounded by a Canine Control Officer, By-law Enforcement Officer, or Police Officer.

See By-law 59-2024 (Part 10)

Standards of Care for Dogs Kept Outdoors

The Ontario Government has released updates to the Standards of Care for Outdoor Dogs in Ontario. The updated standards of care create more comprehensive requirements related to general care, outdoor dog shelters, use of tethering, use of housing pens and more. These new standards will come into effect on July 1, 2022. For more information, please check out their website.

If you witness cruelty, abandonment or neglect, please report it right away to Ontario's Provincial Animal Welfare Services 24/7 reporting hotline: 1-833-9ANIMAL

Report It

Barking dogs are considered a noise violation and are handled by Municipal By-Law Enforcement Services or the police. If you are experiencing a disturbance in the Municipality of West Perth and are looking to report a noise complaint, please call 519-348-8429 ext 215.

Please note that all complaints are made confidentially, and that the municipality is unable to investigate complaints where the location of the dog is unknown.

If you think an animal is in distress or being abused contact the Ontario Animal Protection Call Centre at
1-833-9-ANIMAL or 1-833-926-4625 for assistance.

To report a dead animal on a Municipal road or property, you can call the Operations Department or report it online. Private property owners are responsible for dead animals on their property.

Please contact the Clerk's Department to get in contact with a Municipal Investigator.

The Municipality pays owners for the cost of livestock killed or injured by coyotes through the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program. If you are interested in more information about the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program please visit the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' website.

To apply for payment farmers must:

Have a valid farm business registration number (FBR)
Have a premises ID number
Report the kill within 48 hours
Retain remains of the kill for inspection by the Municipality's Livestock Valuer
Call to report a kill or request more details

Provincial regulations on deadstock disposal.

Stratford-Perth Humane Society has a Responsible Pet Ownership Brochure great for new, or experienced pet owners. Click here for the full brochure.

Reminder: The Stratford Perth Humane Society can be reached by phone at 519-273-6600 and is located at 125 Griffith Road, Stratford.