http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=46e316f9-f64c-416c-b5eb-53a6f8265935
Cat owners hissing mad over licensing bylaw fines

Kenzie Love
Calgary Herald

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Bylaw officers have collared the first cats to run afoul of Calgary's new licensing bylaw, leaving the animals' owners spitting mad.

The bylaw, which came into effect Jan. 1, requires owners to license their cats or face a $250 fine. Bill Bruce, the city's manager of animal and bylaw services, said bylaw officers don't record what sort of animal it is when they issue tickets for unlicensed ones, but he's aware they've caught at least two cats.

"I know two for sure, because I got calls from people screaming about their ticket."

Bylaw officers are handing out tickets for unlicensed cats in the same way they do for dogs, said Bruce, handing out fines where applicable for cats turned in to the pound or ones they spot, and cats, which are the subject of complaints.

The city had 31,000 licensed cats in December, and the city is still receiving applications faster than it can process them, he added.

"They're coming in a couple of thousand a day. We're running about a three-week backlog of keeping up right now."

Cats with a clearly visible tattoo or an identifying microchip don't need to wear their tags, but must still be licensed. They are also required to remain on their owner's property.

The Calgary Humane Society's Cheryl Wallach said the agency strongly supports mandatory cat licensing. Of the 6,000 to 7,000 cats the Humane Society receives in a typical year, only 11 per cent have tags, she said, which makes it much harder to return them to their owners.

"If more cats have tags, more of them can be returned home, and there will be less stress on our facility each year," she said.

But Hawkwood cat owner Lucille Belanger isn't convinced of the bylaw's merits. While she has licensed her two-year-old cat Indigo, she doesn't think the new measure is worth the hassle.

"We already get cats tattooed through the vets. You can get ID on the collar with your home address if you want. So I think the city is adding an unnecessary layer."
© The Calgary Herald 2008