PAWS regulations updated for dogs

Owners of outdoor and Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs) have more to keep track of this summer. 

The Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act (PAWS) has updated standards of care for outdoor dogs and they come into effect July 1. They may require some producers to adjust their animals’ housing and care regime. 

Why it matters: The updated PAWS regulations will put outdoor dogs’ welfare, housing and tethering under greater scrutiny.

Danie Glanc, Ontario Federation of Agriculture farm policy analyst, said as science moves forward, so do animal welfare practices within all aspects of agriculture, including the care of outdoor dogs. 

“Those practices change and evolve over time for the best welfare outcomes for those animals,” said Glanc.

The updated regulations remove vague language defining outdoor dogs, said Tiffany Landau, acting manager of Animal Welfare Policy Unit, Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General’s Strategic Policy Research and Innovation Division.

“One of the challenges with the previous standards was the definition of what is a dog who lives primarily outdoors,” said Landau.
“The definition (now) is a dog that is outdoors for more than 60 minutes without its owner or custodian being . . . physically outside with the dog and providing that direct outdoor supervision.”

New regulations require outdoor dogs to be provided with sufficient protection from the elements to prevent heat or cold-related distress. Year-round access to shade is also required.

Additionally, dog shelters are mandatory for all outdoor dogs. They must be weatherproof, insulated, ventilated, elevated, free from obstruction, structurally sound and free of features that could cause injury, such as protruding screws.

The structure must have a three-inch deep bed, be cleaned regularly, and be appropriately sized and designed to allow the animal to turn around and lie down with legs extended.

When it comes to livestock guardian dogs, housing requirements are modified to recognize the unique needs of dogs that protect livestock from predation and/or live with a flock or herd, said Landau.

For example, it’s generally accepted a guardian dog receives protection from the elements when housed with the flock, while other dogs have access to a structurally sound building that houses livestock.  

“The rest of these updated standards continue to apply,” said Landau. “The exception is limited to the dog shelter requirements.”

Glanc said a working LGD regulation around water is similar to the livestock codes of practice that provide for sufficient access to clean, fresh, contaminant-free water even in winter, when they shouldn’t be required to rely on snow for hydration. 

 “They have to have water that’s appropriate for the species, and they list in the codes how much the majority of them need,” said Glanc. “That’s just for the livestock, so those dogs would have access to that same water source.”

The other critical component covering LGDs and farm dogs of all types is the new health and grooming regulation.

“They require daily health and welfare checks, according to the new regulations, as needed for nails and coat,” Glanc said, adding “looks and being in proper welfare are two different things.”

When people think of proper grooming, they picture fluffy groomed poodles, Glanc said. However, the regulations point toward ensuring no mats under the dogs’ elbows or overall matting of the coat, especially for double-coated dogs.  

“Double-coated dogs that are prone to matting can be a welfare issue if it gets bad enough. Similar to sheep, they can get mites living in their fur,” she said.

Landau said body scoring of outdoor dogs would also assist in maintaining health and reveal dogs suffering from contagious diseases or at high risk. That would require isolation from healthy dogs, with few exceptions.

“(Puppies) do not need to be isolated from their mother or substitute mother if they’re less than 12 weeks old,” Landau said. “And it also does not apply if the other dogs are already suffering from the same contagious disease or are at high risk of the same contagious disease.”

The regulations provide clarity on rules for tethering outdoor dogs. They must have three metres of horizontal movement, safe and easy movement, attachments that swivel at both ends and be of a size, type and weight appropriate for the dog’s safety. 

“Collars and harnesses used with a tether must be of a size, type, design and fit that won’t cause discomfort or injury,” said Landau. “Our inspectors have seen instances of collars that are either of an improper type design or too tight of a fit and can cause very serious neck injuries and other significant issues.”

The use of choke, pinch, pronged, slip, head halter or martingale head collar is not permitted, and tethering is prohibited for dogs under six months old, in heat, whelping or nursing.

Dog pens must meet the dog-specific minimum height requirement as per the PAWS regulation chart, provide enough space for the dog to run at speed and a minimum of 107 square feet, not cause undue distress, prevent escape and give reasonable protection from predators, she said. 

PAWS defines distress as an animal needing proper care, water, food or shelter, or if an animal is injured, sick, in pain or suffering, abused or subjected to undue psychological or physical hardship, predation or neglect. 

Landau said undue distress would be assessed on a dog-by-dog basis and through conversation with inspectors and the owner. 

“It depends on factors like the dog’s tolerance toward tethering or other factors, like we mentioned, around their age or health status or reproductive status,” she said. “There is no one definition of undue distress for a particular dog because it would depend on those circumstances.” 

PAWS prioritized the standards of care applied to outdoor dogs after enforcement data and public and stakeholder concerns indicated outdoor dogs face specific welfare and safety challenges.

These included predatory attack, exposure to extreme temperatures or weather without adequate shelter, and physical or psychological distress, among other factors.

The PAWS advisory board developed the updated regulations (available at ontario.ca), which included input from stakeholders including veterinarians and farmers, including an OFA member.