Saskatoon rejects plea to limit the number of pets per household

WATCH: Saskatoon city council opted not to limit the number of pets in a household when updating a city bylaw Wednesday.

Saskatoon city council opted not to limit the number of pets in a household when updating a city bylaw Wednesday.

As part of a biannual review, city council was updating the Animal Control Amendment Bylaw. Absent from the update was setting a limit on the number of pets in one household, despite ongoing vocal opposition from a local resident.

“There’s a dog crisis happening in the province, whether you’ve seen it or not,” Kelsey Stroeder said before councillors voted on the amendment.

Stroeder has been pleading with the city to enforce a limit since January 2024. Her concerns were raised at a committee that month, and councillors agreed to include a pet cap in future discussions.

Her concerns were again considered last month when the planning, development and community services committee met to formalize bylaw changes ahead of Wednesday’s approval vote.

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“I was contacted in advance by the administration. [He] basically told me who is he to decide how many animals is too many? That is literally your job,” Stroeder said.

Stroeder wants the city to address pet hoarding and breeding. She’s seen the impacts of neglectful ownership through her work fostering dogs for rescue organizations, and she wants to see the city use its animal control bylaw to keep owners accountable.

“It’ll give you a better glimpse into this world that desperately needs regulation for the safety and health of our furry friends. Animal neglect is really hard to unsee, and I hope that we can give this a second thought,” she said.

Administration’s opposition for including a limit in the bylaw was twofold.

First, creating and enforcing a per-household pet limit would require additional financial resources, and that isn’t open for consideration until budget deliberations at the end of the year.

Second, Animal Protection Services of Saskatchewan (APSS) enforces animal welfare concerns and investigations, making the matter a provincial jurisdiction.

“Our primary concern or consideration is not to blur the lines between animal cruelty investigations and a limit of pets per household,” Andrew Roberts, director of recreation and community development said during the meeting.

Mayor Cynthia Block said the cost of enforcement is also a barrier to any potential limit.

“At this time, many cities are not choosing to do that because the expense of enforcement is great,” she said.

Administration said breeding kennels are not allowed in residential areas under current zoning bylaws.

“Twenty, 30, 40 animals is too much,” Stroeder said. “And right now there’s nothing that limits that. Ten (or) 12 would not be too much to ask.”

As part of the updates, council voted to not allow an animal other than a dog to enter an off-leash dog park.

The updates also prohibit giving false information when applying for a pet license. Fines for doing so range from $100 to $350.