This past summer, exotic animal owners, Mark and Tammy Drysdale, temporarily housed most of their big cats with a long-time big cat owner in Renfrew County until the couple was ready to bring them to their new home in Maynooth in the municipality of Hastings Highlands. That day came on Wednesday, December 2nd with the arrival of the lions. The two tigers were scheduled to arrive on December 4th. Above the Drysdale lions in their Maynooth enclosure. Photo Christine Walker
The arrival of the Drysdales and their big cats has shone a spotlight on municipal laws — or the lack of — regarding exotic animals. Approximately half of Ontario’s 444 municipalities have some type of exotic or restricted animal by-law. Having a by-law is not synonymous with having a ban on exotic animals; rather,these by-laws can be developed to regulate the standard of care, containment and safety, as well as to prohibit ownership.
Ava, 15-week-old lion cub (above) and Savannah (below). Photos Christine Walker.
Hastings Highlands
Presently, Hastings Highlands has no exotic animal bylaw. This means the Drysdales are not breaking any laws by keeping big cats in Maynooth. At the Hastings Highlands Council meeting on December 2nd, Rob Laidlaw, executive director of Zoocheck Inc., said “…these issues are a lot easier to deal with upfront than retroactively.” If Hastings Highlands creates an exotic animal by-law prohibiting ownership now, the Drysdales will have a case for exemption (grandfathering) because the animals were living in Hastings Highlands prior to a by-law coming into effect.
The municipal government of Hastings Highlands has been criticized for not creating an exotic animal by-law to address the big cats living in Maynooth. In response to this, Mayor Vic Bodnar said at the Council meeting on December 2nd, “It is important for municipalities deliberating over exotic animals issues [to] do so in an informed way with appropriate due diligence.”
Other municipalities compared
Both Hastings County and Renfrew County are classified as upper tier municipalities that provide services to the lower tier municipalities in their regions. Hastings County, of which Hastings Highlands is part, does not have an exotic animal by-law. Yet, some of the county’s lower tier municipalities do; for example, the Town of Bancroft and Carlow-Mayo. Renfrew County does have an exotic animal by-law prohibiting ownership. However, the law has not prevented the big cat owner — where the Drysdales’ big cats were temporarily living — from having these animals in the county for around a decade. This could be because the owner was grandfathered into the bylaw, the municipality is unaware of the animals, or some other unknown reason. The neighbouring municipality of the Township of South Algonquin, which is a single tier municipality, also has an exotic animal by-law. (A single tier municipality is not a part of any other municipality and is responsible for its own services.)
In January 2020, the Ontario Government brought in the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act (PAWS). PAWS does contain animal welfare regulations and enforcement pertaining to exotic animals in Ontario. Currently, orcas and pitbulls are the only animals that cannot legally be owned in Ontario.
The Drysdales have had multiple visits from PAWS to oversee that provincial regulations are being met and will be met in the case of animals that have not yet arrived. PAWS is empowered to conduct inspections of properties and animals to ensure welfare and safety are meeting provincial standards.
Big plans
Ultimately, the Drysdales hope to open a safari experience that will educate people and allow them to observe the animals in their enclosures. “It’s all about education,” says Mark Drysdale. This type of animal business, exotic animal education, falls under the Regulation of Zoos Act which includes its own licencing, standards, and inspections. This Act passed its first reading, but went no further in the process to become law, making municipalities and PAWS the regulatory bodies.
Exotic animal ownership is a contentious issue that has caused passionate division in other communities. The areas of common ground are often the welfare of the community, animals, and environment. Hastings Highlands council has a difficult road ahead in choosing an effective path that will not cause a deep divide in its community and will address as many of the concerns from all sides.
Correction: This article was amended on 2020/12/16 to give the full name of the province’s proposed act governing zoos, and the explanation that it received just First Reading.
About the author: Christine Walker is an occasional contributor to The Current. Formerly on staff at the Burlington Post and Driftwood Publishing in B.C., she has also written for a variety of newspapers and magazines. Christine is on the board of Home Again Animal Rescue, is a canine behaviour consultant, and owns Copper Creek Kennels, her family run business and labour of love.
I am very disappointed to learn that Hastings Highlands Municipality has given their approval for a couple(The Drysdales) to own, breed and make money off these Exotic Animals. Council has given Residents and Visitors a clear message that their safely is not a priority in Hastings Highlands.
They obviously have learned nothing from the experience of other municipalities regarding the headaches that these roadside zoo’s bring. Exotic Animals have no place in Residential areas where people are cottaging, hiking, snowshoeing and horseback riding on nearby Algonquin trails. I come to the small woodland area for the peace and quiet not to hear tigers and lions roaring. If I wanted to visit a zoo I would go to the bigger cities where they are properly trained and fully staffed to manage Exotic animals.
Roadside zoo’s do not have the same safety practice or staffing as bigger zoo’s.
This also puts the animals at risk as well.
I won’t be visiting Maynooth anytime soon, you’ve lost my business. Way to go council members.
To have the municipality support this move without input from the residents who live within 500 ft is a travesty of democracy. This move will impact their lives and possibly livelihood. Council and particularly the Mayor has made an arbitrary decision without any thought and needs to be held legally and financially responsible for their decision. My time, as a frequent visitor to the area is over, and the Hastings Highlands East council is responsible.
Lions and Tigers are not native to this Continent I can not see any reason for the need to use them for education, purposes I could not even imagine the impact on the local animals on the outside of the fence
They do not belong here period.
Lloyd Tremblay, future resident Building retirement home in Maynooth area
I think that it is too late to complain. Even tho I personally wouldn’t. I grew up in Maple Leaf a small little community 5 min north of Maynooth. I think it’s great to have something new to town that can draw people from all over to come and spend there money here!
No matter what’s decided now they are here to stay they can only prevent more exotic pet owners from coming.
So embrace, take your family there enjoy it.
For the person talking about it a affecting
the people that live close…. well you know what people from the city are invading this peaceful part of the country and leaving there garbage everywhere…. up here isn’t so peaceful anymore. So instead of making a bylaw about exotic pets maybe one that makes people stop cutting down trees and wrecking wildlife to build a home to escape city life???