Dog Control

The East Hants Dog Bylaw (P-100) regulates dog registration, promotes responsible pet ownership and balances safety and enjoyment for all residents. The bylaw exists to protect people and pets. The Dog Bylaw is administered by the Planning & Development Department.

Dog Registration	Filing a Complaint	After Hours Service	Lost Dogs

Dog Registration

• Having your dog registered with the municipality ensures you can be notified in a timely manner if your pet is lost.
• The municipality requires that your dog be licensed by January 31 each year, but licenses are available for purchase, anytime. Tags are valid for the calendar year and expire on December 31.
• New dog owners must register within 10 days of receiving your dog.
• An official dog tag will be provided and must be on the worn on the dog at all times.

Annual Registration Fee (includes tag): $12

Registration Options:

• The Municipality of East Hants Office located at 15 Commerce Court, Elmsdale
• Elmsdale Animal Hospital located at 654 Highway 2, Elmsdale
• Crazy Dog Dehydrated Treats located at 75 Richard John Drive, Mount Uniacke
• East Hants Animal Hospital located at 202 Highway 214, Elmsdale
• Noel Canada Post located at 4539 Highway 215, Noel
• SPCA Truro located at 408 Industrial Avenue, Truro
• Mail your form and payment to: Box 230, Suite 170, 15 Commerce Court, Elmsdale, NS B2S 3K5

Exemptions:

• Owners of Kennel License in East Hants
• Service dog

Please Note: If a dog is found without a tag and we are unable to locate the owner, the dog is kept in the municipality’s kennel for three days. If, after three days, the owner is not found, the dog is given to the local SPCA for adoption.

Filing a Complaint

The Nova Scotia SPCA is contracted to provide dog control coverage for East Hants. This means they can help with lost or found dogs, safety concerns, and more.

For safety or noise concerns, contact the NS SPCA via:

• Online Dog Bylaw Complaint Form
• Telephone: 902-893-7968
• Email: animals@spcans.ca
• A complaint form can also be completed in person at the Municipal Office, Monday-Friday 8:30 am-4:30 pm

Make a Complaint

When filing a complaint, please include as much detail as possible including:

1. The nature of the complaint
2. Civic address of the dog owner (if known)
3. Date(s) and time(s) of the alleged infraction(s)
4. Name and contact information of the complainant
5. Dog Barking Complaint Log when required

Contact information for complaints and concerns that fall outside of the jurisdiction of the Municipality: 

After Hours Service

Dog Control is available after regular business hours by calling 902-893-7968.

Calls are answered by an answering service:

• Monday to Friday from 4:30 pm to midnight
• Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from 6:00 am to midnight

After-hours response occurs ONLY for the following:

• Caller is holding a stray/roaming dog for pick up with no tag or caller is holding a dog wearing municipal dog tag;
• Call is to report an injured dog (i.e. hit by a car);
• Caller has an emergency where a person has been badly bitten by a dog;
• If RCMP call requesting assistance for dog related issues.

All other calls outside of these parameters are taken by an answering service and will be responded to on the next business day during regular business hours, as they are not considered an emergency.

All calls for Dog Control will be asked to provide the following information to the operator:

1. Complete name and civic address of the caller
2. Complete phone number
3. Pertinent details of complaint (lost or found dog, barking dog, features of offending dog, appearance, collar, municipal tag)

Please Note: General calls (dogs running at large, excessive barking, dog off property, deceased dogs) will be documented by answering service operator and given to the SPCA on the next business day.

Lost Dogs

If your dog is lost, the following resources may be helpful for locating and reuniting with your pet:

• Nova Scotia Lost Dog Network
• Kijiji (Pets, Lost & Found)
• Municipal Bylaw Enforcement & Dog Control Officer
• Local Animal Shelters
• Local Animal Hospitals
• Facebook