Household Pets & Animal Guidelines

We want Meadow Lake to be a safe, quiet, and clean place for neighbors and pets to live together. To keep things fair for everyone, the City has a few basic rules about what kind of pets you can have and how to care for them.

There are two bylaws that regulate animals within the City: the Animal Keeping Bylaw and the Dog Bylaw. For more information about keeping dogs and other animals in Meadow Lake, please read the sections below.

The animal shelter is run by the volunteers of the Meadow Lake & District Humane Society. As it is a volunteer run organization, they do not have regular public hours. If you believe your dog may have been impounded at the shelter, please contact City Hall and we will make arrangements for someone to meet you there.

You can also contact the Humane Society and see which pets they have on site at:
MLDHS Petfinder
MLDHS Cat Adoption Form
MLDHS Dog Adoption Form

The City does not provide pest control services. Pest control services are available through local commercial operations.

Animal Keeping Bylaw No. 16/2012

Dog Bylaw No. 9/2019

How Many Pets Can I Have?

What are the rules for keeping animals besides dogs?

There is a maximum limit of four (4) cats allowed per household.

Livestock animals are not permitted to be kept within city limits (there are some exceptions for horses on acreages that were annexed into the city).

Exotic pets, such as venomous snakes and other animals that may create a health hazard, are not permitted to be kept within city limits.

The Animal Protection Act, 2018 also applies to all residents of Saskatchewan, and protects animals from abuse and neglect. You can learn more about the Act here.

Do I need to license my cat(s)?

What can I do about cats wandering at large?

The following strategies and tools can help discourage cats from entering your yard or digging around flower beds:

incorporate cat repelling plants into your landscaping
use rough material such as stone mulch or egg shells in plant beds to discourage cats from digging in the dirt
install a digging barrier, such as chicken wire, prior to planting
install a motion activated sprinkler that sprays water at intruding animals
install an ultrasonic device designed to emit a high-frequency sound that deters cats
Stray and feral cats may also wander into yards looking for food and shelter. You can reduce the likelihood of their visits by ensuring you do not feed your own pets outside and keeping outdoor grills clean to reduce food smells. Boarding up holes under sheds or decks where cats may seek shelter should also help keep them out of your yard.
Talk to your neighbours if you have concerns with their pets. Let them know that you don't want cats in your yard.
Cats kill birds, including endangered and threatened songbirds. Collars with bells and bright colours can help warn birds; however the best prevention is to keep the cats indoors!
Support the Humane Society. Our animal shelter is run by volunteers and is frequently at full capacity for stray cats. Any extra support they receive helps them care for more animals and reduce the number of strays in our community.

If you are a cat owner, be considerate of your neighbours and keep your cat at home, on a leash, or in a fenced enclosure. In addition to keeping your neighbors happy, there are the following benefits:

Cats are a significant reason for declines in wildlife, especially migratory songbirds, many of which are already threatened.
Cats defecate in any soft, easy-to-dig, soil (such as your garden or flower bed, in front of basement windows, and in kids' sandboxes) which is unpleasant and can be unhealthy.
Indoor cats live longer than cats that are allowed outside.

Does the City have cat traps available?

The City does not have cat traps available and does not endorse the trapping of animals by private residents. In addition, the provincial Animal Protection Act prohibits cruelty towards animals, including cats. This means that if you try to trap a cat on your property, you are responsible for checking the trap every hour and ensuring that any cat that is trapped receives appropriate food, water and shelter and is brought to an animal shelter.

What can I do if I'm worried an animal is being abused?

The provincial Animal Protection Services will investigate and enforce the Animal Protection Act, 2018. Under the Act, no person shall cause an animal to be in distress, which includes if it is:

deprived of food or water sufficient to maintain the animal in a state of good health;
deprived of care or shelter;
deprived of veterinary care or medical attention;
in need of reasonable protection from injurious heat or cold;
wounded, ill, in pain, suffering, abused or neglected;
kept in conditions that: are unsanitary; will significantly impair the animal’s health or well being over time; cause the animal anxiety or suffering; or contravene the prescribed standards, codes of practice or guidelines;
abandoned by its owner or by a person responsible for the animal in a manner that causes, or is likely to cause, distress resulting from any or all the factors listed

If you aren't sure who to call regarding a specific concern, this document provides a useful guideline.

Where do I go if I have more questions?

If you want to speak to the bylaw department about the enforcement of the Animal Keeping Bylaw, you can send an email to the Bylaw Department.

If you want to pass on comments to Council about ways the Dog Bylaw and other animal enforcement could be improved, you can contact the office of the City Clerk and it will be presented at a future Council meeting. More information about presenting to Council is available here.