Changes to Thunder Bay animal services being made after review finds 'several gaps'

The City of Thunder Bay is making changes to animal services after a review found "several gaps" in the services the department was providing.

A report going to council on Monday states that animal services scaled back its activities in 2020, due to a restructuring of the city's Licencing and Enforcement Division.

The plan merged Animal Services Section into Municipal Enforcement Services (MES). A big part of it relied on community partners to deal with stray and injured animals and to help find them homes, the report stated. 

"This shift also resulted in the cessation of adoption services, surrender services, and limited the types of animal complaints responded to by Municipal Law Enforcement Officers (MLEO)."

As a result, relationships with non-profit rescue organizations became "strained," which has had a "negative impact on the community, and the animal services system as a whole."

A recent review of animal services by city administration identified those gaps, and now, in an effort to "fill the void and build capacity" in animal services, the city will:

• Reinstate responses to calls for animals at-large.
• Accept surrendered animals.
• Re-establish an online presence to to help reunite lost pets with their owners.
• Work with local rescue groups to move animals from the city's shelter to more-suitable environments.
• Review and modernize standards of care.
• Create a task force to provide recommendations about animals in the city.

Longer-term, the city will continue to review and modernize animal bylaws, policies, procedures and training, the report to council states.

Kristyn Lovato-Day, a policy and research analyst with the city's corporate services division, said the COVID-19 pandemic led to a reduction in animal services activities.

"MEF (Municipal Enforcement Services) took a step back due to the pandemic, and staffing and regulations for interaction with the public," she said. "They had closed the building to the public, and had worked to rehome all the animals in care."

Lost pet website launched

Some of the changes have already been implemented. Strays that are reported by the public are being picked up, and a website has been launched where the lost pets are posted.

A call for members of the task force is expected to go out this month, as well, Lovato-Day said.

"This is a project that we're actively working on, and trying to make as many changes in as short a time as possible," she said.

Talks have also been taking place with dog rescues.

Robin Ratz, founder of Murillo Mutts, said she's had "quite a few" talks with the city, and is happy with the changes being made to animal services.

"I think that they realize that they've made a mistake, that there was definitely a lack of services for the animals in Thunder Bay and they're trying to crack that," she said.

Ratz added that she's also a certified dog trainer, and she'll be helping animal services staff assess dogs, and get them adopted.

"I's going to take some time ... to fix everything, but they're willing to do it," she said. "I think that at that says a lot about the City of Thunder Bay."

"We love our animals," Ratz said. "Thunder Bay is a huge animal community. And so for animals to basically be left to suffer, that wasn't acceptable."

"So I'm very happy that they're willing to make the changes."

The full report is avaialble on the city's website.