Animal Services

Our Animal Services team is here to ensure Newmarket’s pets and wildlife are well cared for. They are responsible for a number of animal and wildlife issues. Our Animal Services team also conducts proactive education initiatives to support responsible pet ownership.

On this page

Contact Animal Services

You should contact Animal Services when: 

  • You've found wildlife or a stray pet that is sick, injured or in distress
  • You've found a domestic pet (cat/dog) roaming without its owner
  • You've found deceased wildlife on public property
  • You've found a deceased domestic pet (cat/dog) on public or private property
  • A wild animal has scratched or bitten an animal or human (to report potential rabies exposure)
  • You've been bitten by a dog or had an aggressive dog encounter
  • You have questions, concerns or want to make a report related to our Animal Control By-law [PDF/330KB]

In the above situations, you can reach Animal Services through the Town’s Central Customer Service Centre:

  • Call: 905-895-5193 
  • Emergency response: Call the same line and press 3 for after hours
  • Email: info@newmarket.ca (not monitored after hours)

An Animal Services Officer will be on duty Monday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

24/7 emergency response

While we have limited services available after-hours and on statutory holidays, we do offer 24/7 response to specific emergency Animal Services calls. An on-call team of trained animal services specialists are ready to provide emergency response to:  

  • Sick or injured stray cats or dogs 
  • Confined stray dogs 
  • Assist Emergency Services 
  • Active public safety risks 

*Please note that wildlife calls are dealt with during daytime operational hours.

Reporting animal or wildlife situations

Report a lost or found pet 

Complete our online forms to report a lost or found pet by clicking one of the options below.

Report a lost pet 

Report a found pet

Report a dog bite 

If you or your pet has been bitten by a dog, you should:

  1. Seek necessary medical and veterinary attention first
  2. Make note of the incident date, time, location, what the dog looked like and any other information that might be relevant
  3. Take clear photos of any wounds received as a result of the incident
  4. Report the incident to Animal Services by calling 905-895-5193 or emailing info@newmarket.ca

If your dog has bitten a person or animal, you should: 

  1. Ensure your animal is properly restrained by means of a leash or appropriate confinement
  2. Provide your contact information to the victim party
  3. Make note of the incident date, time, location, and any other information that might be relevant
  4. If the victim is a human and the dog bite drew blood, isolate your dog within your household until contacted by York Public Health
  5. Report the incident to Animal Services by calling 905-895-5193 or emailing info@newmarket.ca

Other animal and wildlife situations 

Some animal and wildlife situations are handled by other agencies or organizations in Newmarket. Learn who to contact in these situations:

Common animal care questions

We support safe and responsible pet ownership practices through public education and enforcement of the Animal Control by-law 2020-30 [PDF/216KB]. Below are some common animal care questions we recieve. 

Standard of pet care in Newmarket

brown dog in grey dog bed in a room

Standards of pet care in Newmarket include: 

Basic wellbeing

  • Animals must have a clean and sanitary environment
  • Adequate food and clean water supply
  • Appropriate shelter to escape the elements

Veterinary care

  • Owners must provide veterinary care to pets to relieve distress from injury neglect or disease

Tethering

  • Animals must not be tethered for a period exceeding (3) hours within the same calendar day
  • Tethers must be an appropriate length for the animal, but never less than (3) meters
  • Tether must allow the animal to move safely, and unrestricted

Automobile travel

  • Animals cannot be left in a motor vehicle in weather conditions that are not suitable for the animal and may cause distress and/or death
  • Animals must have suitable ventilation
  • Animals must have access to food and water
  • Animals must be restrained to prevent contact between the animal and the public

Failure to meet the above standards may be considered neglect or cruelty. To report cases of animal neglect or cruelty, please call the provincial animal welfare services at 1-833-926-4625.

Transparent wildlife care initiative

We care about animals too! In our commitment to animal welfare, the Town has created the Transparent Wildlife Care Initiative. Through this initiative, the Town will track the journey of wildlife that comes into its care and will share it with residents (upon request). This gives residents the peace of mind that the animals are well cared for and the opportunity to contribute to the animal’s ongoing care and treatment by donating to the specific wildlife rehabilitation facility providing that care.