Port Coquitlam's effort to increase the take-up rate for dog licences in the municipality is expanding to include multi-family dwellings.
In 2010, the bylaw division conducted a two-month, door-to-door residential dog licence canvas and increased the take-up rate to 40%. Another canvass in 2011 increased that number to 57%.
However, staff said it has become increasingly evident that many unlicensed dogs reside in condos and townhouse complexes, residences missed by the city's canvass.
"We would like to get the number to about two-thirds, which would be about 6,000 dogs," said Dan Scoones, manager of bylaw services. "When you consider we have 2,000 to 3,000 multi-family units... there maybe another 1,000 dogs in there. That would take us to the 6,000."
On Tuesday, council voted unanimously in favour of authorizing an independent contractor the right to go door-to-door in the interior hallways of apartment buildings. The right of entry authority will run until Oct. 1, 2012.
"This is being used to enter the complexes only to allow her to go door-to-door," Scoones said. "We just want to make sure we can do the same door-to-door we do in the residential areas."
Using formulas developed by the pet food industry, Scoones said the city estimates that there are likely between 9,000 and 10,000 dogs in the municipality. The goal is to get to a 66% take up rate for licences, which is about 6,000 dogs.
The city's animal control bylaw mandates that all dog owners must insure that their dogs have been licensed and that they display licence tags valid for the current year.
Scoones said the funds collected from the licences relieve the taxpayer from the costs of animal control and other animal related services.
ATMs
The licensing cost for operating an automated teller machine (ATM) in Port Coquitlam has been reduced after council voted unanimously in favour of a business bylaw amendment Tuesday night.
Previous, ATMs operated outside of a licensed financial institution were required to pay $500 per year for a licence. After council's decision this week it will now cost $170, bringing the price in line with neighbouring municipalities.
Several operators in Port Coquitlam challenged the rationale for PoCo's $500 fee, which prompted staff to take a second look at the numbers.
