Humane Treatment of Dogs Bylaw in Maple Ridge

Maple Ridge Bylaw No. 5584-1997

Part IV - Care and Control of Dogs

15A. No person may keep a dog unless the dog is provided with

(a) clean, potable drinking water at all times and suitable food of sufficient quantity and quality to allow for normal growth and maintenance of normal body weight;

(b) food and water receptacles kept clean and disinfected and located so as to avoid contamination by excreta;

(c) the opportunity for periodic exercise sufficient to maintain good health, including the opportunity to be unfettered from a fixed area and exercised regularly under appropriate control; and

(d) necessary veterinary medical care when the dog exhibits signs of pain or suffering.

15B. No person may keep a dog which normally resides outside, or which is kept outside for short to extended periods of time, unless the dog is provided with outside shelter

(a) to ensure protection from heat, cold and wet that is appropriate to the dog's weight and type of coat. Such shelters must provide sufficient space to allow the dog the ability to turn around freely and to easily stand, sit and lie in a normal position;

(b) at least one and a half (1 ½) times the length of the dog and at least the dog's height measured from the floor to the highest point of the dog when standing in a normal position plus ten percent (10%);

(c) in an area providing sufficient shade to protect the dog from the direct rays of the sun at all times; and

(d) which includes a pen and run area which must be regularly cleaned and sanitized and excreta removed and properly disposed of daily.

15C. No person may cause a dog to be hitched, tied or fastened to a fixed object where a choke collar or chain forms part of the securing apparatus, or where a rope or cord is tied directly around the dog's neck.

15D. No person may cause a dog to be confined in an enclosed space, including an automobile or other vehicle, without adequate ventilation.

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