Caring for companion animals

As of October 3, 2024, there are funds for 35 spay surgeries remaining in the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The community dog spay fund provides $300 (effective April 1, 2023) for 1 dog per owner in 1 year in rural Yukon communities to help:

• offset the cost of travel for residents of rural communities;
• reduce the threat to public safety from dog fights caused by female dogs in heat;
• reduce the number of unwanted puppies born in Yukon communities;
• improve animal welfare; and
• reduce the demand on Yukon humane societies.

Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis for a maximum of 115 dogs a year.

Some local governments may provide additional funds to supplement this fund or to cover costs that the dog spay fund does not pay for like:

• neutering male dogs; or
• sterilizing cats.

Eligibility

You can get funding if:

• you live in a rural Yukon community;
  • this means your postal code does not start with Y1A;
• you have a female dog; and
• you have not used the fund already in the past year.

Access the fund

1. Choose a veterinarian and make an appointment for a spay surgery.
2. Discuss all optional services and costs with the veterinarian. Your total bill will depend on what you choose to have done.
3. Complete the form with the veterinarian.
4. Pay the veterinary clinic. Your receipt will show the $300 credit from the fund.
5. After the surgery, the veterinarian will sign and submit this form to Animal Health and Protection.

Learn more about the community dog spay fund. 

Dogs posing a threat to owned animals

The Animal Protection and Control Act prohibits anyone from allowing their dog to injure or kill another animal or wildlife.

1. If you see:
   • a dog posing a threat to animals, especially livestock; or
   • a dog threatening your animal, especially livestock.
2. Contact:
   • the Animal Protection and Control Officer, Agriculture Branch for livestock concerns,
   • the Animal Protection and Control Officer, Animal Health and Protection for concern about threats to other animals,
   • the local RCMP detachment if it is an emergency situation or outside of regular office hours.

Dogs posing a threat to public safety

The Animal Protection and Control Act prohibits anyone from allowing their dog to injure or kill a person.

• If there is an immediate risk to safety, contact the local RCMP office.
• If the animal is within the boundaries of a community government, you should contact the local government office. First Nations and community governments including the City of Whitehorse with bylaws are the office of first response.
• If you are in an unincorporated area or your community does not have bylaws related to animal welfare or control, you can contact the Animal Protection and Control Officer, Animal Health Unit.

The Act allows a person to take action to protect themselves or another person including killing a domestic animal when there is imminent or immediate threat of death or grievous bodily harm and all other practical means of averting the threat are exhausted. This is comparable to the right of a person to defend themselves from a wildlife attack.

It is not an action to be taken lightly because it must be reported to and investigated by an Animal Protection and Control Officer, but it is in place to acknowledge that in Yukon, with remote locations, there may be instances when this is the only option to protect human life.

If a dog bites you

You are not legally required to report dog bites to a hospital or community health centre but it's a good idea to do it. When you report a dog bite incident, they'll assess the case and determine:

• if the victim needs additional treatment; or
• if the animal needs to be observed or tested.

Always treat bite wounds

Anyone bitten by an animal should seek medical attention right away. Bite wounds can result in infection.

A health care provider will:

• wash away contamination from saliva, bacteria or viruses;
• prescribe antibiotic drugs if bacterial infection is a concern;
• provide a booster tetanus vaccination if it's needed; and
• provide directions for at-home wound care, as well as what to do if there's swelling, redness or an increase in pain.

See the wildlife health page section on rabies and read the fact sheet on animal bites and rabies.

Domestic animals are "at large" when:

• they are not under the control of their owner; and
• they're off the private property of their owner.

These animals are often a nuisance and can be a danger to themselves and others. They may:

• be injured by traffic or cause accidents;
• threaten confined pets or livestock;
• prey on wildlife or be preyed upon by wildlife; and
• damage the environment through their actions.

Report a domestic animal at large

People who own domestic animals need to care for their animals. This means being responsible for keeping their animals under control.

If you are concerned about dogs or cats that are not under the control of their owner (at large on public property), consider the following:

• If there is an immediate risk to safety, contact the local RCMP office.
• If the animal is within the boundaries of a community government, you should contact the local government office. First Nations and community governments including the City of Whitehorse with bylaws are the office of first response.
• If you are in an unincorporated area or your community does not have bylaws related to animal welfare or control, you can contact the Animal Protection and Control Officer at [email protected] or phone 867-667-5600.

If you are concerned about livestock, see Report livestock at large or welfare concerns. 

Capturing or trapping an animal at large 

Animal Protection and Control Officers

Under the Animal Protection and Control Act, an Animal Protection and Control Officer (APCO) may capture or trap an animal at large. The APCO then takes custody of the animal. 

Members of the public

A person, other than an APCO, may capture or trap an animal that is at large:

• on private property owned or occupied by that person; or
• on private property owned or occupied by another person, at that person’s request.

A person who captures or traps an animal must do the following.

• Take steps to avoid capturing wildlife. If you do capture wildlife, contact Yukon Conservation Officer Services through the 24-hour TIPP line or contact a district office.
• Avoid injury to the animal.
• Ensure that the animal is provided with an adequate quality of life while it remains in your control.
• Notify an APCO as soon as possible. If you return the animal to its owner, you do not have to contact an APCO. 

Domestic animals taken into custody 

Notifications of animals in custody, where the owner is unknown, will be posted to the Animals in custody webpage during regular business hours. 

If the owner of the animal in custody is known, the owner will be contacted. The owner may appeal a decision to take custody within 10 days.  

An animal can be in the custody of an APCO before it may be seized for:   

• 3 business days for a companion animal; or
• 5 business days for livestock.

Seized domestic animals 

Under the Animal Protection and Control Act, an APCO can seize an animal that has been taken into custody for the following reasons.   

• The animal is not reclaimed by its owner within the time limit specified in the Animal Protection and Control Act.
• The animal’s owner does not meet any conditions in an order made under Section 50 that the owner is required to meet. 

A decision to seize an animal is final and not appealable. If this happens, the animal becomes the property of the Government of Yukon. 

The animal protection officer investigates reports of neglected or abused domestic animals under the Animal Protection and Control Act. Neglected or abused animals may need:

• proper care;
• food;
• water; and
• shelter.

In some cases, the animals may be injured or suffering.

The officer can take action that may relieve an animal’s distress or may take custody of an abandoned animal. The first objective is to identify the owner and reunite them with their animals.

Report a neglected or abused animal

Report incidents to an animal protection and control officer if you know or have reason to believe that an animal in the Yukon:

• is being neglected;
• is being abused; or
• has been abandoned,

Phone 867-667-5600, toll free in the Yukon 1-800-661-0408, extension 5600 or email [email protected].

Animal Health and Protection will not comment on or disclose information of active investigations until those become public if formal charges are laid.