Cat Licensing in #Winnipeg

Did you know cats now need to be licensed in Winnipeg? It’s been discussed a lot in our facebook group and it seems that a lot of people haven’t heard of this – even cat owners. Sometimes it can be hard to get the info in time, and this has been the law since Jan. 1st so a great time to get it done.

Half of the funds collected from this will be put toward local spay and neuter programs which would really help curb the overpopulation of cats in Winnipeg. If you own a spayed cat your annual license is $15, for one that’s not fixed it’s $50. You get a tag to attach to their collar in case they ever run away – it’s also against the law in Winnipeg to let your cats roam, which is another one I think a lot of people don’t realize, or at least don’t obey. You can have your cat on a leash though, which is something I think I’ve yet to see.

If you’re on the fence for doing it and have an indoor only cat – the fine for not getting it done is $250 minimum so it’s quite the gamble. If you’re fostering them temporarily or if they’re under 6 months old you don’t need them licensed.

If you’re a cat owner or do fostering it’s a great idea to check out the city’s website and read up on it more – good way to find out where the money is going and why they chose to do it this way. You can also get all the info on how to purchase it – there’s a lot of choices.

What do you think of the new licensing law? Do you think the city has advertised it enough, or is this your first time hearing of it? Do you think it will help with the cat population, and if not what else do you think could be done? And if you’re not in Winnipeg, does your city do cat licensing and has it helped there?