The city will be taking over animal control duties when its contract with the OSPCA Orillia Animal Centre expires next year.
The OSPCA has been providing shelter services and enforcement of animal-related city bylaws since 1974. That has included responding to issues such as dogs at large, animals left in vehicles without proper ventilation, and the stoop-and-scoop bylaw.
“What the OSPCA has said is that they would like to continue to provide animal shelter services to the City of Orillia. However, they would like to discontinue providing the enforcement aspect of the contract that they’ve been providing for multiple years,” Shawn Crawford, the city’s manager of legislative services, told council committee this week.
He said the organization is refocusing its programming and resources “to better align with their charitable mission.”
The initial recommendation from staff on Monday’s agenda called for the city to look into a potential partnership with the Township of Ramara for enforcement services. Earlier that day, though, Ramara’s committee of the whole discussed the matter in closed session and ended up not supporting the idea.
So, staff recommended the city take over animal-related enforcement at a cost of $94,573 for the first year, subject to budget approval.
If that goes ahead, two contract animal control officers will be hired. Each would work 20 hours per week.
That arrangement would see 24/7 emergency service, Crawford said, covering what the OSPCA currently provides, including responding to after-hours calls about issues such as aggressive dogs, animals with suspected rabies and those that have been hit by vehicles.
It would result in a decrease of about $19,000 in the first year from what the city currently pays.
Crawford said the townships of Oro-Medonte and Severn were approached about potentially providing the service but neither was interested.
The motion approved Monday also directs staff to enter a five-year agreement with the OSPCA for shelter services at a cost of $53,000 for the first year of the contract, as well as an annual increase of an amount equal to the consumer price index for the previous 12-month period for Canada.
The current contract expires March 31, 2022.
