Reporting Nuisance Barking or Howling

Saskatoon Animal Control Agency (SACA) responds to all nuisance barking/howling complaints. Based on the complainant information and subsequent investigation, there are different means of enforcement that can be applied.

Complaint Reporting Process

1. Contact SACA by phone at 306-385-7387.
2. Explain to SACA your concern while requesting to file a nuisance barking/howling complaint.
3. Once SACA receives a nuisance barking/howling complaint, the complainant information is reviewed and a subsequent investigation occurs. Based on the results of the investigation, SACA would provide direction on how to proceed.
   
   1. SACA may ask the complainant to complete a “Barking/Howling Complaint Questionnaire” and/or “Barking/Howling Log”. These forms can be mailed to the complainant or picked up at the SACA office. You can begin recording the nuisance barking or howling prior to receiving the formal documents and you can later transfer this information to the formal documents once they are received. 
   2. The documents are meant to be used to report on one address. If your complaint involves multiple addresses please discuss this with SACA as each address will require a separate report.
   3. The key to filling out the logs is proving through detailed notes that the nuisance barking or howling has occurred, these logs may require you to record two to three days or more, dependent on the occurrences of the nuisance barking or howling.
   4. You must complete the documents in their entirety following all instructions and submit them back to SACA.

Following the submission of your documentation and completion of SACA’s investigation, SACA would then issue a warning or a ticket, or have a further conversation with the complainant. The City may also issue a court summons. SACA’s course of action varies dependent on the situations as listed below:

Clear Cases of Nuisance Barking or Howling:

• SACA receives a complaint and the necessary recorded documentation from a complainant.
• An investigation is completed and evidence available clearly supports a charge under the Bylaw. As requested by the complainant; a warning or ticket would be delivered to the owner along with educational information on the Bylaw. To follow-up, the complainant would give the defendant time to make corrective actions and if needed contact SACA again if the nuisance barking or howling is not corrected.

​Cases Requiring Additional Evidence:

• SACA receives a complaint and some of the necessary recorded documentation from the complainant.
• SACA determines that the matter requires further evidence to support a charge, the complaint would be advised of such and suggested to provide further details or additional logged notes of the perceived nuisance barking or howling.

Cases Where a Nuisance Barking or Howling Bylaw Infraction Has Not Been Proven:

• SACA receives a complaint and the evidence provided does not support immediate action of a warning or a ticket. Rather based on the circumstances, SACA would inform the complainant that dogs and cats can bark or howl sometimes but may not be considered a bylaw infraction as certain qualifiers as detailed in Section 15 of the No. 7860, Animal Control Bylaw must be met.

Once a nuisance barking or howling violation has been proven as outlined in the Animal Control Bylaw and a ticket has been requested by the complainant, SACA visits the animal’s owner and issues a ticket. If the owner does not pay the ticket, the matter will proceed to court. If the owner enters a plea of “not guilty”, the complainant will be required to testify under oath. 

Following the issuance of a ticket, if the situation does not improve, as evidenced by submission of additional “Barking/Howling Complainant Questionnaire” and “Barking/Howling Log” then subsequent tickets can be issued.
 

Fines Related to Nuisance Barking or Howling:

First offense     $100

Second offense    $200

Third offense     $300