The Town of Kingsville wants to ensure that all residents, with or without pets, can enjoy their homes, parks and neighbourhoods. If your dog is involved in a bite incident, you must report the incident to the Kingsville OPP at 1-888-310-1122 and the Windsor Essex County Health Unit at 1-800-265-5822. Please also call the municipal office at 519-733-2305 to report a bite incident for further investigation by the Animal Control Officer.

Noise caused by barking dogs is prohibited under Kingsville's Noise By-Law, which the Kingsville OPP enforces.

Since 2005, the Town has participated in the Cat Intake Program. This program is a service provided by the Humane Society to address the number of stray cats running at large within the Town and to provide a drop-off location for residents.

Surrendered stray cats are categorized in two ways:

1. Adoptable: the cat is friendly, comfortable with human contact and may have wandered from home or been abandoned by its owner; and
2. Wild or feral: the cat has clearly been living outside, is not comfortable with human contact and is unadoptable. The cat is examined and vaccinated by the Humane Society, and if it is healthy, it is released back into the area

Since the program’s launch, residents have dropped off more than 1300 stray cats.

Raccoons are susceptible to Canine Distemper. This virus does not pose a threat to human health, but unvaccinated dogs can catch it. If you suspect a raccoon is affected, please get in touch with the Animal Control Officer at 519-796-3013.

See Raccoons with Distemper FAQ for more information.

Normal Behaviour:

• In a tree: normal behaviour. The raccoon should move on within 24 to 48 hours
• Sleeping on a deck: normal in an urban area. The raccoon should leave overnight. If it returns, frighten it away with noise or, in the summer only, water from the hose
• Out in the day: normal during breeding season. The raccoon may have been frightened from its hiding place

Abnormal Behaviour:

• The raccoon is staggering, appears drunk, is falling over, disoriented, or has paralysis of its hind limbs
• There is mucous caked heavily around its eyes and nose
• It's overly friendly, approaching pets or people
• It is curled up in a ball in an open area of the yard during daylight hours

Coyotes are native to North America and live in urban and rural areas.

While coyotes are very wary of humans and avoid people whenever possible, coyote sightings in Kingsville are common. Kingsville’s green spaces and forested areas provide an excellent habitat for coyotes.

As much as possible, the Town of Kingsville’s approach to coyotes in the community is to leave them alone. Coyotes naturally fear humans and should remain wild animals. Coyotes play an important role in balancing the ecosystem in southern Ontario, helping to control the populations of rabbits, rats and mice.

To ensure coyotes remain wild animals and avoid interaction with people, read Coexisting with Wildlife. We can often prevent conflicts if we are willing to make small changes to how we think and act.

This program helps control the feral cat population. A feral cat is an outdoor stray cat without an owner. Each year, Council sets aside money for residents to offset the cost of spaying or neutering surgery for feral cats. The surgery is performed by participating veterinary clinics.

You can apply to this program if you are:

• A Kingsville resident
• Over 18 years old; and,
• Can trap the cat and bring it to an animal clinic

Each voucher is worth $75.00. Any additional costs are your responsibility.

Kingsville issues vouchers on a first-come, first-served basis and allows a maximum of three per person. Vouchers are non-transferable and expire after 90 days. You can redeem them at any participating veterinary clinic. We will provide a list of participating veterinary clinics to successful applicants. As part of the surgery, the Town requires “ear tipping” to identify feral cats in the community.

Vouchers for cats with an owner are:

• Reserved for qualified families
• Limited to three per household
• Require a declaration of income

Fill out the Spay or Neuter and Eartipping Voucher for Feral Cats Application

The Town of Kingsville issues lifetime dog licences. These tags are silver, with the Town logo and a four-digit number, and will remain with your dog for their lifetime.

All dogs in the Town of Kingsville must have a valid dog tag. Failure to purchase a licence could result in a fine.

Dog Tag Fees:

• $75.00 One-time fee per dog
• $10.00 Replacement tag

This fee applies to:

• Newly acquired dogs
• New residents to the Town of Kingsville
• Transfer of dog ownership within the municipality

Buy a dog tag online or at the Municipal Office during office hours.

Kingsville allows a maximum of three dogs per property.

With some exceptions, the Dog Owners' Liability Act bans the owning, breeding, transferring, importing or abandoning of pit bulls. Contact us for further information on registering Pit Bulls.

Licensing is an important part of being a responsible pet owner. Licensing helps provide food and shelter to lost animals and reunite owners with their pets. If you find a lost or injured dog, contact Animal Control at 519-796-3013.

If you own a kennel of dogs that are registered or eligible for registration with an association incorporated under the Animal Pedigree Act (Canada), you can apply if your property is in an agricultural area. Dog breeders and boarding kennels must apply for a kennel licence every year before March 31. The cost of a kennel permit is $110.00.