Pets will soon no longer need to be licensed in Fort Saskatchewan.

The new Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw instead requires all dogs and cats have an identification tag with owner contact information, rather than a licence. The fine has also been increased to $200 for not having an identification tag and allowing a dog or cat to be at large. The fine had been $150.

Staff requested this change because they were spending considerable resources simply enforcing the licence rule. Officials estimate time spent by staff on this issue cost $54,606 annually. On the other hand, pet licence fees generated $121,155 annually.

The new bylaw also has new rules for both nuisance dogs and restricted dogs. Nuisance dogs are those that are frequently at large or regularly causing a disturbance. Restricted dogs are those that have damaged property, chased, attacked, threatened or bitten a person or animal.

Owners of nuisance or restricted dogs must keep their dog indoors, or in a secure, fully enclosed pen, and muzzled while outdoors. Owners of restricted dogs must obtain liability insurance and face other restrictions.

The fine for allowing a restricted dog to be at large is now $1,000 — double the previous amount.

New rules have been added on how to secure animals in vehicles for their own safety. In most cases this means that pets must be kept inside the passenger compartment.

Other rules do not change under this new bylaw. No more than three cats and no more than three dogs are allowed in any household. No dog or cat is allowed to run loose. Chickens are not allowed, nor any other form of poultry, horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, donkeys, mules, poisonous snakes, poisonous reptiles, poisonous insects or any other animal weighing more than five kilograms as an adult, or the young of that animal. Bees are allowed, however, upon obtaining a special permit.

Although the new bylaw has been approved by the majority of City Council, it did not get the necessary third and final vote because two members, Patrick Noyen and Brian Kelly, refused the necessary permission Tuesday.

A third vote will take place at the Nov. 26 meeting as a result. This will be in time to ensure pet licences are not required for 2025.