(d) the animal cannot readily escape;

(3) provide the necessary food, water, housing and attention as required to keep the animal in good health and free from harm; and

(4) remove forthwith any excrement of the said animal and dispose of it in a sanitary manner.

(a) Any person who owns an animal that is customarily kept outside shall at all times:

(i) Provide it with protection from the elements temperatures;

including harmful

(ii) Provide a structurally sound, weatherproof, insulated shelter, of a size and design having regard for the animal’s weight of type of coat;

(iii) Provide an enclosure which has sufficient space to allow the animal the ability to turn around freely and to easily sit, stand and lie in a fully extended position. (Added B/L 152-2014, August 25, 2014)

(b) No person shall keep an animal tethered on a rope, chain, cord or similar restraining device unless:

(i) The tether is of appropriate length for the species tethered; i.e. 5 times the length of the dog from the nose to the base of the tail except for small dogs – (should be a minimum of 3 metres);

(ii) The animal has unrestricted movement within the range of such tether;

(iii) The animal is not tethered for longer than 4 hours per day;

(iv) The animal has access to water, and shelter while tethered; and

(v) The animal cannot injure itself as a result of the tethering. (Added B/L

(ii) The animal has unrestricted movement within the range of such tether;

(iii) The animal is not tethered for longer than 4 hours per day;

(iv) The animal has access to water, and shelter while tethered; and

(v) The animal cannot injure itself as a result of the tethering. (Added B/L

152-2014, August 25, 2014)

It should be noted that the majority of calls to 211/311 regarding the keeping of animals have been in response to tethering limits in recent years.

In March of 2019 the OSPCA informed the Provincial government that it would no longer act as an enforcement agency for animal welfare cases. As a result, in January of 2020, the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act came into effect in Ontario. This act gives provincial power to Inspectors to enforce the standards set out in the act. The enforcement regime is still in its early stages and while it has come to our attention that the transition has been difficult in some areas, the outlook of the system’s