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Cat & Dog Information

How to Be A Responsible Pet Owner

SCOOP THE POOP!

Pet waste can be smelly, unattractive and even a health issue.  Be a responsible dog owner and always carry a plastic bag with you to pick-up your pet's poop whenever you are off your property and deposit it in a garbage container.

 

Know the Bylaw Rules for Pet Ownership in Leduc
Enforcement Services strives to ensure the safe, healthy and peaceful enjoyment of Leduc’s neighbourhoods for all citizens by promoting responsible and considerate pet ownership. Please do your part to ensure your cat or dog is a healthy pet and companion. Care for your pet for its lifetime; as well, respect your neighbour’s property and choice not to have a pet.

License and Identify
• Licenses and permanent ID - tattoo and microchip - help lost cats and dogs get home.
• The license tag must be securely fastened to the collar the cat or dog is wearing when it is off the property of the  owner.
• Cats & dogs over the age of 6 months must be licensed.

Spay and Neuter
• Ensures happier, healthier companions.
• Reduces over-population and unwanted pets.
• Curbs your pet’s urges to fight, bite, spray and roam.
• Saves on licence fees

Keep Cats Indoors
Enforcement Services strongly recommends keeping cats indoors because indoor cats live longer, healthier and safer lives. The average life span of an indoor cat is 12 to 15 years compared to 2 to 5 years for an outdoor cat. The difference is due to dangers cats face outdoors such as traffic, unfriendly animals, poisons, diseases, frostbite, dehydration and abuse from humans. Cats kept inside require less veterinarian care for problems more often associated to roaming cats such as fleas, ticks, worms and diarrhea.

Outdoor cats are more likely to get lost and searching for a lost cat is a time-consuming and often heartbreaking experience. Cats wandering outside can be legally trapped by a neighbor and turned over to the pound.

The Edmonton Humane Society recommends that domestic felines be kept indoors, or allowed outdoors only when in an enclosed area or on a leash/tie-out with appropriate supervision.

Cat Runs
Cat Run                    Cat Run                Cat Run

Cats raised indoors are perfectly content with their world. Cats that have experienced the outdoors will need some time to adjust to indoor status but will eventually be perfectly content in the comforts of a home. A few things you can do to keep your cat happy indoors:

• Keep fresh water and food at hand;
• Provide a litter box;
• Open screened windows to let in some fresh air;
• Provide your cat with toys and a scratching post for exercise.

Animal Control Bylaw #580-2004
Not everyone appreciates cats around their home. The City of Leduc Animal Licensing and Control Bylaw states, “The Owner or any other person having care or control of a Cat shall ensure that the Cat does not enter onto property other than the property of the Owner, unless the Cat is on a leash not exceeding two meters in length or the person in charge of the property consents to the Cat being there.

Stop Cats Roaming
• keep your cat indoors
• Inform an owner that their roaming cat is a nuisance in your yard.
• Register an animal complaint and obtain a cat trap.
• Humanely trap and contact City of Leduc Enforcement Services at 780-980-7200 ext 5 to make arrangements to transport the cat to the kennel.

Making Your Property Less Inviting
Cats can be trained not to enter your yard simply by making your property unpleasant:

• Place mesh netting (angled outwards) or PVC pipe at the top of your fence to prevent cats from climbing over.
• Bury chicken wire just below the surface of your flowerbeds to discourage digging and cover the bed with bark chips or gravel so it is rough.
• Remove the food source by not feeding your dog or cat outside. Stray cats will frequent your yard if there is a reliable food source.  However, ensure if your animal is kept outside that food is still provided daily to your pet.
• Grow a garden of plants that are repulsive to cats. Plant peppermint, geranium, rue, lavender, garlic, lemon grass and thyme along the perimeter of your yard to keep cats from entering.
• Scatter pinecones in the areas the cats like to visit, especially under bushes. Ponderosa or other prickly cones work best.
• Buy a commercial cat repellent and scatter or spray it in the places where the cats are doing their business.

Allergies

Cats, dogs and smaller pets all secrete proteins that can irritate human eyes, noses and throats. Exposure to these proteins triggers the release of histamine and shift symptoms into high gear for people with allergies.

When pet dander proteins, or allergens, become airborne they collect on a dog or cat’s fur. Allergens are also inhaled into the body, landing on the sensitive membranes that line the eyes, nose and lungs. Cat and dog allergy symptoms include inflamed eyes, a stuffy nose, skin rash, or coughing.

Sandboxes

Sandboxes can be used as large litter boxes by cats. Various bacteria and parasites that can cause disease in people can be present in the feces. Children playing in a sandbox are not aware of what they should or shouldn’t be picking up. Nothing ruins a day in the sandbox more than finding that a wild or neighborhood cat has used the sandbox as its own personal litter box.