HAMILTON—The City of Hamilton has hiked the fines it can lay against dog owners whose canine companions repeatedly bark up a storm. The changes mean complaints about problematic barking will now be the responsibility of animal control officers instead of bylaw officers. Alleged offenders can get a visit from animal control officers immediately after a complaint, Leendertse said. Owners who don’t comply can first be fined $75 under the city’s responsible pet owner act. If an owner still doesn’t resolve the issue, it then becomes an offence under the city’s noise bylaws, where fines can escalate to $240, and eventually a maximum of $25,000.

Source: thestar February 02, 2018 15:22 UTC