Animal Services

Dogs licensing / Kennel licensing

The Town of Tecumseh has partnered with the company, DocuPet to launch a new licensing system that will provide pet owners with a more convenient and accessible way to register their dogs. The new system will be in place and ready for dog guardians on March 14th, 2023.

Dog Owners will receive a renewal notification from DocuPet starting on March 15. Letters will take up to 5 business days to arrive.

With a mission to provide a safe and happy home for every pet, DocuPet’s innovative platform will supply significant resources to the Town of Tecumseh, allowing it to efficiently deliver critical animal services including the 24/7 HomeSafe™ program and automatic alerts if your dog goes missing.

All dogs in the Town of Tecumseh must be licensed yearly. Previously, all licences expired annually on December 31st, but through the new licensing program with DocuPet, all licences will be valid for a full 365 days after purchase. Current dog licenses are valid until April 30, 2023. Pet owners can learn more and register dog licences online at tecumsehdogtags.ca. Licensing by mail, phone, or in person is also available.

What if I no longer own a dog?

Please call 519-735-2184 ext. 101 to have the Town`s Dog Registry amended if you no longer own a dog(s).

Why does the Town license dogs?

The dog licensing program is not a revenue source for the Town. It is a protective program intended to offset the costs associated with regulating and controlling dogs running-at-large, providing a dog catcher, and maintaining the Dog Pound.

The dog tag also forms an important method of identifying a dog that either has been captured, running-at-large, or found and reported by a neighbour so that it may be returned to its owner.

By-Law enforcement

Please see the following by-laws on our Frequently Requested By-Laws page of the website.

Bylaw 2003-91 - Dog Licensing and Control Bylaw (Bylaw 2017-61 Amendment)
Bylaw 2005-43 - Removal of dog excrement on public property
Bylaw 2002-07 - Noise bylaw

Animal Control

Call Essex County Animal Control at 519-816-7627 if you have a problem with a dog or would like to report dogs running-at-large.

Dog Pound

The Lakeshore Dog Pound takes in dogs that are running at large. The facility is located at 914 Puce Road, Emeryville. To contact the Pound, call 519-727-3073.

Poop and scoop

Bylaw 2003-91 and Bylaw 2005-43 require the removal of dog excrement from all public property. If you do not remove your pet's excrement, you could be fined up to $105.00.

How many dogs can you own?

In accordance with the Town’s Dog Licensing By-Law 2003-91, no person shall keep more than three (3) dogs in any one dwelling unit or on any premises.

Dog Park

The free dog park is located at 12000 St. Jacques Street, Tecumseh. For more information, visit our Dog Park page.

Kennel licensing

If you own a dog kennel or wish to establish one, you must obtain a licence to operate from the Town. Kennel licences expires December 31st and must be renewed yearly.

Fees

$100.00 - January 1 to March 31, 2024

$125.00 - April 1 to December 31, 2024

You are required to complete an online kennel licence application form if you wish to establish a kennel. Kennels cannot be located in areas zoned residential. You must ensure that your property is properly zoned for the location of a kennel. Please verify with the Development Services Department at 519-735-2184, ext. 123.

You can now complete and submit the payment for the Kennel License Application online. The following credit cards may be used for payment:

Visa
MasterCard.

Kennel Licence Application Form

Kennel operators must also purchase dog tags for their personal dogs. The annual fee is $22.00 per dog to a maximum of three (3) tags allowed. Please visit Docupet to register or renew the licence for your dogs.

Pitbull Ownership

The Dog Owners' Liability Act assists in increasing public safety in relation to dogs, including pit bulls.

The Tecumseh OPP Detachment provides enforcement of the Dog Owners' Liability Act. Please contact 911 for assistance.

The Act includes the following

Authorize the commencement of a proceeding against a dog owner where the dog poses a menace to the safety of persons or domestic animals, or against a person who contravenes the Act, the regulations made under the Act or a court order made under the Act.
Adds to the orders that may or shall be made in those proceedings.
Except as permitted by the Act or regulations under it, in relation to pit bulls, prohibits owning, breeding, transferring, abandoning, importing and training to fight.
Provide an exception to the prohibition for "restricted pit bulls". These are pit bulls owned by an Ontario resident when the Bill came into force. Owners of restricted pit bulls must ensure compliance with the provisions of the Act and regulations relating to restricted pit bulls. These regulations include:
- Leashing (less than 1.8 metres in length, of sufficient strength) and muzzling (humanely and sufficiently strong and well fitted to prevent biting) of restricted pit bulls.
- Spaying or neutering of restricted pit bulls.
- When kept within enclosed property, the property is enclosed in a way that can be relied on to prevent the pit bull from breaking out of the property.

Urban hens

As of March 1, 2022, the Urban Hens Licensing Pilot Program has been discontinued. Report LCS-2021-35 - Urban Hens Licensing Pilot Program - Final Report, which was considered at the December 14, 2021 Regular Council Meeting, summarizes the reasons for the discontinuation of the program.

Cat Spay and Neuter Voucher Program/Cat Intake Program

The Town of Tecumseh offers a Cat Spay & Neuter Program and a Cat Intake Program.

Starting in 2023, the Cat Spay & Neuter Program and the Cat Intake Program are in partnership with the Windsor Humane Society. To apply, please fill out the applications below.

Cat Spay and Neuter Program

Description of Program

The Town of Tecumseh, in partnership with the Windsor Humane Society, offers support to residents spaying or neutering free-roaming/ feral cats as well as to low income residents to spay or neuter indoor or outdoor pet cats. You have to be a resident of the Town of Tecumseh to participate.

Vouchers are valued at $50.00 each (including HST). Any costs in excess of $50 for spay or neuter surgeries are the responsibility of the owner or caregiver.

Definitions

Feral Cat

A feral cat is the offspring of lost or abandoned pet cats or other feral cats that are not spayed or neutered. Feral cats are not accustomed to contact with people and are typically too fearful and wild to be handled. They do not easily adapt or may never adapt to living as pets in close contact with people.

Owned cat

An owned cat means cats that are owned by a household and receive food, shelter and care from the members of a household.

Application forms

The Windsor Humane Society will review your application within one week and you will be notified about the status of your application. Online application Forms are available on the Windsor Humane Society Website here:

Cat Spay & Neuter Program Application

Cat Intake Program

Description of Program

The Town of Tecumseh, in partnership with The Windsor Humane Society, participates in the Cat Intake Program to reduce the number of stray cats in the Town.

The drop-off location for the stray cats is:

Windsor/Essex County Humane Society
1375 Provincial Road
Windsor, Ontario N8W 5V8
Phone: 519-966-5751
Windsor/Essex County Humane Society Website

Stray cats that are brought to the Humane Society are categorized in two ways:

Adoptable: The cat is friendly, healthy, comfortable with human contact and may have wandered from home or was abandoned by its owner; or
Wild or feral: The cat has clearly been living outside, not comfortable with human contact and is unadoptable. The cat is examined, spayed or neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped by the Windsor/Essex County Humane Society. If it is healthy, it will be released back into the area.

Application Form

Cat Intake Program

Wildlife and rat control

Many people enjoy birds that visit their gardens, bats consume millions of mosquitoes, and coyotes eat mice and rats. However, conflicts can arise when humans encroach on wildlife habitat and wild animals behave in ways that damage our property, cost us money, or endanger our health or safety.

For more information about managing and protecting plants, animals, land, water, forests and other ecosystems, visit the Province of Ontario's Wildlife and Nature webpage.

Wildlife rabies control information

The Government of Ontario website contains information about rabies in Ontario, and what to do if you think you have come into contact with rabies. The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit also has information on rabies.

Rat control

The fact sheet - Pest Control - Dealing with Rodents will help you reduce pests on your property.

If the matter is a property standards situation (see Property Standards By-Law), please contact the Town to have the issue logged and investigated. For more information on how to control pests, visit our Garbage and Recycling page.

Pilot Rat Abatement Program for residential properties

The Town of Tecumseh’s (Town) Pilot Rat Abatement Program for Residential Properties provides a rebate up to 50% of $360 to residential property owners to assist with the cost of utilizing a licensed pest control company to assist with removing rats from outside their residential property. Any additional costs of the services performed or any ongoing rat control services beyond the rebate amount is the sole responsibility of the property owner.

To find out more information and to make application for the pilot program, submit the online form below.

Residential Rat Control Rebate Program Intake Form

Coyotes and foxes

For more information about managing and protecting plants, animals, land, water, forests and other ecosystems, visit the Province of Ontario's Wildlife and Nature webpage.

Ticks and lyme disease

For more information on what to do regarding ticks and lyme disease, please see the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit page.

Livestock valuer

If livestock is killed by a dog or wild animal, the owner of the livestock may claim and be compensated for damages through the Town of Tecumseh. The Livestock Valuer appointed by the Town of Tecumseh will need to make an onsite visit to your property to assess the damage and loss of livestock. Please contact the Clerk's Department for the Livestock Valuer's contact information.

Town of Tecumseh
917 Lesperance Road
Tecumseh, ON N8N 1W9
Phone: 519 735 2184
Fax: 519 735 6712
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