Animal Control

Licensing

The Town has enacted a by-law regulating, among other things the licensing of animals within the boundaries of the Town of Sussex.

By-law #250-11 Animal Control

Inquiries and licenses can be obtained during normal business hours, Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm at 524 Main Street, or by calling (506) 432-4540. 

The Town of Sussex has contracted the services of an Animal Control Officer through the New Brunswick SPCA. The contract provides for a uniformed Animal Control Officer skilled in the provisions of providing this service to be dispatched within the municipal boundaries of the Town of Sussex.

Under this agreement the NB SPCA has agreed to provide services related to carrying out the functions and the enforcement of the Provincial Dog Regulation, New Brunswick Regulation 84-85, under the Municipalities Act (O.C. 84-345), and the By-laws of the Municipalities of the Town of Sussex and the Village of Sussex Corner for the area encompassed by the civic boundaries of the two communities. Both the Town and Village share the costs of this service (75% Town, 25% Village).

Contracted services from the NB SPCA include:

• Dog control and pound operation
• Cat control and pound operation

In addition to our contracted services, the NB SPCA has agreed to provide, at no additional cost, the provision of an animal neglect and abuse investigation services in accordance with its Province of New Brunswick service mandate.

Services

The NB SPCA agrees to provide the following as its Animal Control Service:

1. A toll-free call bilingual dispatch service. NBSPCA 24/7 at 1 (877) 722-1522. (t should be noted the afterhours dispatch and answering service is actually the New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure after hours answer service. Please be patient and provide the details of your call indicating that your call is an animal control issue and that you are located within the Town of Sussex and you are requesting assistance from the NB SPCA Animal Control Officer for Sussex. )
2. A Dog / Animal Control Officer on an as needed basis. Equipment and training to be supplied by the NB SPCA.
3. The issuing of Compliance Orders and tickets/fines related to animals at large in the municipality.
4. Transportation of the animal to veterinary care if required.
5. Transportation of the animal to the impound facility.
6. Quarterly reporting of statistics related to the animal control service.

The Town of Sussex has agreed to provide:

1. The sale of annual municipal dog and cat tags.
2. Municipal tickets for fines issued for non-compliance with Municipal By-laws.
3. Provision of any vehicle or other signage related to the animal control service.
4. The collection of fines, tickets, impound fees and any other monies, as well as, receipting of same. Also the collection of any sums, such as veterinary care, owed by the owner of the animal and related to the animal having been at large.
5. Payment of any and all veterinary expenses associated with the contracted animal control service.
6. Payment of legal fees and any settlement resulting from legal action as a result of an animal seizure.

Exclusions to the Service:

The Town’s contract for services does not include any control service related to wildlife or non-domesticated animals such as feral cats.

Pound Service (Provided by the NBSPCA):

The NB SPCA agrees to provide the following:

1. Impound facilities at the nearest SPCA / rescue shelter located in Moncton, NB.
2. Up to three (3) days of impound for each animal found running at large. The cost to the owner will be $15 / day, paid prior to the release.
3. Provide return transportation service to return the animal to the animal owner, if so required, and authorized by the Town of Sussex. The fee this service shall be set at $125.00, HST included and reviewed annually by the parties to this agreement. 

The Town of Sussex has agreed, by contract, that no animal will be returned to its owner until payment for all expenses related to their animal being at large are paid and the current tags are purchased. These fees will include all fines, tickets, purchase of the required licence tag(s), pound fees and any veterinary expenses, if any. If it can be determined that a dog / animal has not had its rabies shot one will be provided at the owner’s expense.

Reporting of Animal Control Issues

Animal control problems such as stray dogs, barking dogs, dog bites, etc., can be reported to the NBSPCA 24/7 at 1 (877) 722-1522. It should be noted the after hours dispatch and answering service is actually the New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure after hours answer service. Please be patient and provide the details of your call indicating that your call is an animal control issue and that you are located within the Town of Sussex and you are requesting assistance from the NB SPCA Animal Control Officer for Sussex.

Whenever possible, please provide a description of the dog / animal and the address of the owner.

ID Your Pet

All dogs in the province of New Brunswick are required by law to be registered and wear a dog tag. It’s crucial for your pet to have identification so they can be returned if they get lost.

Pets without identification are problematic in that it makes it very difficult to reunite them with their owners. In cases like this our Animal Control Officer will pick up the stray animal with no tag and will immediately dispatch the stray to the Moncton NB SPCA shelter.

If a microchip is found in the pet the owners are contacted and the fees associated with the sheltering of the animal, transport fees, licensing fees, fines must be paid prior to release of the animal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is considered a animal control issue?

Stray dogs, dogs running at large, nuisance barking, and dog bites are all issues dealt with by NB SPCA Animal Control Officers.

What should I do if my pet is lost?

If your pet becomes lost, you should check the NB SPCA Facebook page and / or call Town Hall for assistance at (506) 432-4540. Be prepared to provide a detailed description of your pet along with the area in which it was lost.

What happens to a stray animal picked up by the NB SPCA?

When a stray animal is picked up and the owners are unknown, the animal is provided with immediate veterinary care (if needed), then housed at a partner SPCA shelter or kennel. Sussex uses NB SPCA Shelter facility located in Moncton, NB. The NB SPCA Animal Control Officers will post notices of all animal picked up running at large on their Facebook page.

Under the Provincial Regulations, if the animal is not claimed within 72 hours it becomes the property of the NB SPCA. We are fortunate to have partnerships with the local SPCA shelters and generally, the animals are turned over to them for adoption.

Feral Cats

Reporting a Feral Cat Issue

Feral Cat issues should be reported directly to Sussex Town Hall during normal business hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm either in person or by calling (506) 432-4540.