The leash of less than 1.85m
is mandatory in Sherbrooke
is mandatory in Sherbrooke
By-law on animals of the city of Sherbrooke
Important changes to Sherbrooke's municipal animal by-law
March 3, 2020 entered into force on Regulations for the application of the Law on the supervision of dogs (law P38-002) which was announced last December by the Quebec government.
The following dogs are not covered by the settlement
- The assistance dog subject to a valid certificate attesting that it has been trained for this purpose by a professional organization for training assistance dogs.
- The dog used in the activities of a wildlife protection officer.
- The dog of a canine team within a police force.
New standards provided for in provincial law to be applied by the City
- Obligation to use a lead with a maximum length of 1.85 meters to walk a dog as well as a halter or a harness for dogs weighing 20 kg or more.
- A dog can be declared dangerous by the City if it has bitten or attacked a person causing death or inflicting a serious injury, or following a behavioral evaluation by a veterinarian.
- Behavioral evaluation of a dog should be done by a veterinarian. This assessment is mandatory when a bite has caused a skin laceration requiring medical intervention. It may also be required as soon as there are reasonable grounds to believe that the dog constitutes a risk to public health or safety.
- A dog declared dangerous must be euthanized and it is possible to oblige his or her guardian to give up any other dog and to prohibit him or her from owning, acquiring, keeping or raising a dog for a determined period.
- Only a designated municipal official can declare a dog potentially dangerous.
- A dog declared potentially dangerous must be vaccinated against rabies, sterilized, microchipped and must not approach a child 10 years of age or younger without adult supervision. It must also be kept inside a lot using a fence or other device and a sign must be posted to notify visitors. In addition, these dogs must be muzzled at all times in a public place and be attached by means of a leash no longer than 1.25 meters.
- Before rendering a decision and imposing custody standards for a dog, the City must notify the guardian of its intention, the reasons and the time allowed for presenting observations.
- A dog declared potentially dangerous in any of the municipalities of Quebec is considered dangerous throughout Quebec. Therefore, the owner of the dog must now declare all municipalities where the dog was previously registered and provide all decisions made by another municipality with regard to the dog.
To these new government standards, we have added the possibility of conducting a summary examination by the Humane Society (SPA) to confirm or refute the reasonable grounds to believe that the dog poses a risk to public health or safety. In the event that the sitter refuses this examination, a behavioral evaluation will be requested from a veterinarian. In the event that the reasons are confirmed during the summary examination, the behavioral evaluation will be made compulsory. In addition, the City has prohibited the capture of an animal to be abandoned or released at another location.
The fines for each of these provisions have increased significantly. Anyone who violates the by-law is liable to a fine that can range, depending on the type of violation, from $250 to $10,000 for a natural person or from $500 to $20,000 in other cases.
Table of fines
| Grounds | Amount of the fine* |
|---|---|
The owner of a dog who does not show up for a behavioral evaluation or who does not comply with a euthanasia order or any other measure ordered by the City. |
$1,000 to $10,000 |
The owner of a dog who does not register it, whose dog does not wear the tag or who does not notify the City of changes to the information provided during registration. |
$250 to $750 |
The owner who does not control his dog in a public place, who does not keep him on a leash or, when the dog weighs 20 kg or more, whose dog is not wearing a halter or harness. |
$500 to $1,500 |
| The owner of a dog who does not comply with the specific standards for dogs declared potentially dangerous. |
$1,000 to $2,500 |
The owner of a dog who provides false or misleading information or information he should have known to be false or misleading in relation to the registration of a dog. |
$250 to $750 |
The fact of hindering in any way whatsoever the exercise of the functions of any person responsible for the application of the law, of misleading him by concealment or false declarations or of refusing to provide him with information which he has the right to obtain under the Regulations. |
$500 to $5,000 |
* The amount of the fine indicated relates to natural persons. To find out about the fines relating to legal persons who contravene the by-law, consult the by-law.
