The outcry over animal attacks in the city of North Battleford resulted in a flood of new dog and cat licenses issued last month.
In his report to council's municipal services committee, Fire Chief Pat MacIsaac said just over 200 new dog and cat licenses were issued in October - a huge spike from the numbers usually seen through the course of a year.
The City sold 142 dog licenses and the pound sold 36 dog licenses, for a total of 178. The previous month, the city had sold only six dog licenses and the pound only one.
Cat licenses were also up significantly. The Ccity sold 19 cat licenses and the pound sold five - all up from zero recorded in September.
The numbers were part of the monthly bylaw enforcement activity report compiled by MacIsaac and presented to the committee Monday night.
The jump was an obvious response to some highly publicized animal attacks in late September involving domestic animals roaming free in the city. The dogs and cats involved in the attacks were all unlicensed.
The separate attacks resulted in the death of one Chihuahua following one incident, as well as injuries to humans as a result of two other attacks. MacIsaac told councillors bylaw enforcement personnel had to deal with additional animal attack incidents in the period since the first attacks were reported.
Following the initial wave of trouble, the City issued called for a crackdown on unlicensed animals roaming free in the city. Officials promised stepped-up enforcement of the animal licensing bylaw, and a call was put out to residents to get their dogs and cats licensed.
Soon after that was done, City officials noticed a jump in the number of people seeking licenses for their cats and dogs.
MacIsaac said owners were reminded of the benefits of having a licence for their pets. Tagged missing pets found by bylaw enforcement officials are brought back to the owners.
"This is one way that we can ensure owners are responsible," MacIsaac said of the pet licensing process.
