Blake Ellis/Local Journalism Initiative

The Village of Oil Springs has no plans to hire a dog catcher. The municipality has been without an animal control officer since June 30, but the municipality hasn’t really noticed. Animal control officer Vicki Kyle of Glencoe Animal Shelter retired after 30 years and it considered finding a replacement.

But there haven’t been any calls to the office which would need a dog catcher since Kyle retired.

Instead, councillors changed the cost of dog tags to $25 per dog.
It had previously been $20 for the first neutered or spayed dog, $35 for the second, $50 for the third and $65 for the fourth. Tags for dogs who weren’t fix ranged from $50 to $90.

Only two dogs are allowed in a household, according to the town’s bylaw unless a resident has a kennel. Mayor Ian Veen said there are a quite a few dogs in Oil Springs. There were about 100 dog sold in 2021, but Veen said there are probably about 50 dogs, which aren’t licensed.

If dog owners do not pay for a license by May 1, the fee will be $50. If they continue to not pay it, it can be added to a property owner’s taxes, said Clerk Marsha Gawley.

If a dog is picked up in Oil Springs by municipal staff, it will be taken to the Sarnia Humane Society at a cost of $90. It was suggested to put the money collected through dog tags in a reserve.