PETS NEED LICENCES

More than 700 cats impounded by the City of Calgary this year have yet to be claimed and returned to their owners. It’s a sad statistic, reflecting a lapse in responsible pet ownership and reluctance to license felines properly.

In Calgary, all cats and dogs older than three months of age need a licence. The annual cost is just $18 a year for a spayed or neutered cat and $39 for a spayed or neutered dog.

Many cat owners ignore the licensing requirement, however, especially if their felines are indoor pets.

But, a lack of a licence can become much more costly if your cat escapes outside and is picked up by Animal Services personnel, or caught in a trap left out by a neighbour — a questionable practice itself.

Getting your unlicensed cat back from the shelter can lead to a $250 fine. However, licensed cats and dogs caught by Animal Services are returned home. If no one is there to accept the animal, a note is left for homeowners explaining their pets are safe at the shelter.

Animal Services spokeswoman Patti Smadis puts it this way: “It helps to think of a licence as your pet’s ticket home.”

During the first eight months of this year, the city impounded 1,167 lost or stray cats — double the number caught last year in the same time frame.

While 84 per cent of the 1,254 dogs impounded were picked up by their owners, only 34 per cent of the impounded felines were returned home.

For pet lovers, it’s shocking to think of this level of ambivalence being exhibited toward a four-legged member of the family. A lost pet should result in a flurry of activity on the owner’s part, with SPCA and animal shelter checks being at the top of the list.

Caring for another living creature is a privilege and pet ownership comes with responsibilities and even regulations to follow. Calgary has a Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw that outlines rules geared “to ensure that cats, dogs, their owners and neighbours live together in safety and harmony.”

While some Calgarians may not be animal lovers, many are.

Just two years ago, city census data showed there were 135,000 licensed dogs in the city and 70,000 licensed cats. That means there are more licensed pets in the city than there are children aged nine and under (194,300) or seniors 65 and over (169,860), according to Statistics Canada.

Thousands and thousands of Calgarians love their pets. It’s time to ensure they show their cats and dogs that love with a licence.