HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-19-005 - Subcontracting of Dog Licensing ServicesREPORT TO:Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:March 18, 2019
SUBMITTED BY:Gloria MacNeil, Director of By-law Enforcement
(519-741-2200, ext. 7952)
PREPARED BY:Gloria MacNeil, Director of By-law Enforcement
(519-741-2200, ext. 7952)
WARD (S) INVOLVED:ALL
DATE OF REPORT:February 26, 2019
REPORT NO.:CSD-19-005
SUBJECT:SUBCONTRACTING OF DOG LICENSING SERVICES BY THE HUMANE
SOCIETY OF KITCHENER-WATERLOO & STRATFORD PERTH
RECOMMENDATION:
That pursuant to its Animal and Dog Control And Pound Services Agreement dated
January 1, 2018 with the Animal Welfare Agency South Central Ontario operating as the
Kitchener-Waterloo Humane Society now called The Humane Society of Kitchener-
Waterloo & Stratford Perth
Society subcontracting dog licensing services or any portion thereof providedthe
subcontractor executes an agreement satisfactoryto the City Solicitor to ensure that
City data and personal information is adequately protected, no additional costs are
incurred by the City,and the allocation of dog licensing revenue pursuant to the
Agreement is not changedand further
That the Deputy CAO be authorized to execute an agreement satisfactory to the City
Solicitor with any subcontractor used by The Humane Society for dog licensing services
and to which the Humane Society may also be a party to ensure adequate protection of
City data and personal information.
BACKGROUND:
The Humane Society is considering subcontracting the dog licensing portion of our contract to a
company called Docupet who specializes in this type of service and whose expertise is focused
on improving municipal animal licensing programs.
REPORT:
The Humane Societylicensing program however as
Council is aware licensing of dogs has been a consistent challenge for many years.Humane
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Society has estimated that we currently license approximately 25% of dogs in the City of
Kitchener. Staff and Humane Society have worked together to come up with different initiatives
to increase dog licensing including a Tag and Wag campaign offering $5 licenses for new
licenses, having a presence at community events where licensing information and the ability to
purchase a license were available, as well as implementing a door knock program that both
Humane Society and Kitchener By-law Officers continue to participate in. The biggest challenge
we continue to face is resourcing, both Humane Society and City of KitchenerBy-law officers
are seeing a continued increase in call volumes which limits our ability to sustain any dedicated
programming to dog licensing using existing resources.
As a result of the lack of compliance and staffing resources we continue to experience, the
Humane Society would like to explore subcontracting this work to a company called Docupet.
Docupet works in partnership with local municipalities and shelters, with a primary focus on
municipal licensing of animals.
Docupet launched in 2014 and have been steadily expanding, improving their systems and
increasing annual license sales across other communities in Ontario. To drive awareness, they
canvassevery neighbourhood they serve, run media campaigns, attend local events, send
mailers, advertise on social media and place signage throughout the community.
Docupet offers an online licensing system similar to the Humane Society which makes
registration easy and provides ways for pet owners to update their profiles, a lost and found
program, ability for owners to add important information about their pet, a pet ownership rewards
program and automatic registration renewals. What Docupet is able to offer that the Humane
Society andthe City currently are not, is the marketing knowledge and resources required to
develop a comprehensive dog licensing program including dedicated staffing resources whose
priority is dog licensing.
Municipalities currently using Docupet include Kingston, St. Catharines, Guelph, New Market,
Aurora, Ajax, Georgina, Clarington and Welland and all have reported an increase in pet
licensing.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the ci
the delivery of core service.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no additional costs to the existing agreement.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
N/A
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Michael May, Deputy CAO, Community Services Department
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