In accordance with the City of St. Catharines' by-law relating to the keeping of dogs, all dog owners in the city must purchase dog licences for their pets.
Purchase a dog licence
You can purchase a dog licence online with DocuPet, or in-person at the Citizens First counter on the second floor of City Hall.
Dog licences provide many benefits to your pet, including lost and found services, online pet profiles linked to your licence tag, individualized tag styles and an exclusive rewards program.
Dog ownership requirements
As per the City's by-law, you must adhere to these common dog ownership requirements in St. Catharines, and all other regulations outlined by the by-law. View more details on animal control by-law enforcement.
- You must remove all dog feces from public and private property immediately.
- There is a limit of three dogs per dwelling in the city.
- All dogs must be leashed or otherwise physically controlled when in any place other than your own property. The leash cannot exceed three metres and must be secured by you.
- Respect those around you by keeping animal noise, including barking, to a minimum, especially during early morning and late evening hours.
Muzzled dogs
After a complainant submits a successful affidavit detailing an alleged vicious dog bite involving a person or another domestic animal, we notify the dog's owner, requiring the dog to be muzzled and restrained. The dog's owner may apply for a public hearing held before City Council to appeal the decision.