Animal Control and Wildlife

The Town of Whitby Animal Services Officers enforce animal-related by-laws, receive complaints, handle barking dog issues and respond to wildlife concerns.

There are two main by-laws governing animals in Whitby:

The Responsible Pet Ownership By-law sets standards for the keeping of cats and dogs and responsible pet ownership within the Town.
The Prohibited and Regulated Animals By-law controls the keeping of various types of animals within the Town.

Filing a complaint

You can file a complaint if you notice a bylaw infraction relating to one of the animal control by-laws. This could include excessive and continuous barking, a dog at large in the community or a prohibited animal being kept as a pet.

File a complaint

All complaints must contain your name, address and phone number. We keep all personal information confidential. Alternatively, you can contact Animal Services by phone at 905.655.0283 or by emailing Animal Services to file a complaint.

Barking dog complaints

You can file a complaint if the owner of the barking dog is not cooperative. We will visit the owner and educate them about the by-law. Enforcement action may be taken if a barking problem persists.

Keep a noise disturbance log

We recommend using the Noise Disturbance Log to document the barking dog issue. In order for staff to properly investigate, you must be able to see the dog in the act of barking. You should also keep track of the following details:

The location of the barking dog
The dog's physical appearance
The time of day when the noise occurs
How often the noise occurs and for how long
How the noise directly affects you

Animal Services Appeal Committee

The Animal Services Appeal Committee considers appeals to Orders to Restrain (muzzle or leash an animal) issued by Animal Services Officers. The Committee is authorized by the Statutory Powers Procedure Act to do the following:

Hear appeals
Execute all the powers of an Animal Services Officer
Confirm, modify or rescind Orders to Restrain, or extend the time for complying with Orders to Restrain

When an appeal is received, the Committee ensures that the appropriate individuals are notified about the hearing.

Committee members

The committee is composed of these five citizen appointments:

Carleen Blissett
Kailey Langille
Jenelle McCalla (chair)
Evan Holt
Heather Harty

Meeting agendas and minutes

View meeting agendas and minutes.

Animal cruelty

All complaints of animal cruelty are handled by the provincial government. Cruelty to any animal is not tolerated in Ontario. Contact animal welfare if you witness cruelty to animals.

Wildlife

Animal Services staff are trained to safely deal with issues related to wildlife in the Town of Whitby. Learn what you should do when you encounter sick or injured wildlife, nuisance animals, coyotes or bears.

Sick or injured wildlife

If you encounter wildlife that is sick or injured, poses a threat to humans or domestic animals, or displays signs or symptoms of rabies, do not touch or handle the animal. Call 905.655.0283 x4 for around-the-clock emergency assistance.

Nuisance wildlife

Help keep wildlife wild and healthy. The Town encourages residents to avoid feeding wildlife such as ducks, geese, raccoons, squirrels or coyotes. Help reduce wildlife conflicts with people by not feeding wildlife near homes and parks. Human food is not healthy for wild animals!

While we do not provide trapping or relocation services for nuisance wildlife, our trained staff can offer solutions to help you wildlife-proof your home or business. Contact us at 905.655.0283 for support.

Baby wildlife

Whether it’s a baby bird, rabbit, raccoon or skunk, a baby animal’s best chance for survival is with its mother. Finding a baby animal doesn’t always mean they’re in trouble – many times, you won’t need to do anything at all.

But if the baby is injured or sick, please contact Animal Services by phone at 905.655.0283 or by emailing Animal Services.

Did you know that mother rabbits can have their babies in the grass or even in your garden?

From late March to early August Whitby Animal Services often sees an influx in calls from residents regarding baby bunnies. Baby bunnies are often found burrowed in nests among the grass. By frequently scanning your backyard for nests before cutting the grass or letting your dog outside you can help ensure the safety of these baby animals.

Nests can be seen as shallow depressions in the ground and are made up of dead grass, leaves and fur. If you find a rabbit nest the best thing to do is leave them be, the mother only comes to feed them 2-3 times a day and will only do so when people and predators aren’t around. If you have a dog, the best thing to do is block off the area before you let your dog out or keep your dog on a leash. Baby rabbits only need a few weeks before they are able to be on their own. If you notice that they are injured or think they may be sick please contact Animal Services by phone at 905.655.0283 or by emailing Animal Services.

Please check the following resources:

Coyotes

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry offers information about preventing and managing conflicts with coyotes.

Because coyotes have adapted to urban areas, seeing them in the Town is fairly common. Along with being opportunistic animals that are drawn to places where they can find food easily, coyotes are generally shy and avoid confrontation. Here are some tips for dealing with coyote encounters:

Do not turn your back or run away. Instead, remain calm and back away slowly.
Bring a whistle on your walk as an effective way to frighten any approaching animal.
Always walk your pets on a leash and keep cats inside.

Bears

If you encounter a bear in your neighbourhood and are concerned about an imminent threat to public safety, call 911. In a non-emergency situation between April 1 and November 30, call the provincial Bear Wise reporting line. From December to March, contact the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Foxes

Appearance of Fox

Foxes have accustomed themselves to living in urban areas so seeing them in the Town is fairly common.

Usually foxes will live in grassy regions, ravines and will even make their den under sheds or hollowed out trees. Foxes among other wildlife will take over other dens of smaller animals so it is best to wildlife-proof your property at the first sight of any possible nesting areas that are forming. You will notice holes being dug in the ground around sheds and porches, tree branches accumulating and wood piles being moved.

Foxes are usually rust in color with darker hair around their ears, legs and tail. Their young will be lighter in color but get darker with time. Foxes weigh around 8-20lbs and are about 3-4 feet in length.

Foxes are most active at dawn or dusk but residents will see them out in the day during baby season or if they are hungry. Although foxes are shy and tend to avoid confrontation with humans they are known to attack small pets. Keeping an eye on your animals while they are outside on your property is essential.

To avoid interactions with foxes you should:

dispose of your garbage in secure, wildlife proof containers
do not leave food or garbage out in accessible areas on your property
pick from your vegetable and fruit gardens as soon as the food is ripe, do not let rotten vegetables and fruit accumulate on the ground
clear away bushes or brush that are near your house and surrounding property
close off decks, porches and other areas where wildlife can access to use as shelter
install motion sensor lights around your property
walk with a flashlight or whistle to scare off unwanted wildlife from approaching