Emotional support animals OK in hamlets

By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

It is now easier for residents of Wheatland County’s hamlets to house emotional support animals.

Wheatland County council amended the county’s animal control bylaws on May 5 to include provisions for emotional support animals. The move comes in response to a request last year by one resident to keep emotional support chickens.

Many support animals are considered livestock, which are prohibited within hamlet boundaries as per the county’s land use bylaw. The county’s definition of livestock includes “cattle, swine, small fur-bearing animals, poultry, sheep, goats, horses, game and similar animals.”

Because previously there was no regulatory process for emotional support livestock animals to get exemption of this rule, a vote had to go to council for the request.

Now, residents of hamlets needing an emotional support animal may apply for a permit through the county’s chief administrative officer (CAO). 

The process is similar to applying for a license for a pet dog or cat, with a few extra hurdles.

Not every hamlet resident wanting to cuddle a potbellied pig will apply successfully for a support animal permit. Under the bylaws, an animal may be housed only if it provides a therapeutic benefit for a psychiatric, mental or emotional disability, as determined by a mental health professional.

To balance potential concerns of keeping livestock animals, peace officers will also inspect the requested living area for the emotional support animal, said Wheatland County Reeve Amber Link. The officers will then report to the CAO whether it is suitable for the animal being requested.

The fee for license of an emotional support animal was set at $50.

So far though, the demand for these arrangements have been non-existent since the initial request, said Link.

“There have been no applications for ratepayers to harbour emotional support animals since the request last year for chickens in one of our hamlets,” said Link.