Guides
Stray hold periods in Canada
How long a found or stray pet is held before an owner loses the right to reclaim it depends on the municipality.
How long a found or stray pet is held before an owner loses the right to reclaim it depends on the municipality. Below are the periods we have verified from each city’s own bylaw or official page.
Every period states its counting rule exactly as the source does — which days are excluded, whether the source says business or calendar days, and whether the clock starts at intake or after notice. Where a city’s source does not state a dog or cat period, we say so rather than imply there is none.
Hold periods by city
| City | Authority | Dogs | Cats | Counting rule & source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | Toronto Animal Services | 5 days minimum; excludes impoundment day and closed-centre days | 3 days minimum; excludes impoundment day and closed-centre days | Toronto Municipal Code §349-14(C) (dogs), §349-21(B) (cats) Source · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
| Ottawa | Ottawa By-law and Regulatory Services | 3 redemption days excluding impoundment day, statutory holidays, closed-pound days | 3 redemption days excluding impoundment day, statutory holidays, closed-pound days | Animal Care and Control By-law 2003-77, s.22 (dogs), s.59 (cats) Source · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
| Mississauga | City of Mississauga Animal Services | 5 days with traceable external ID; 10 days with standard/international microchip; excludes impoundment day, statutory holidays and Sundays | 5 days with traceable external ID; 10 days with standard/international microchip; excludes impoundment day, statutory holidays and Sundays | Animal Care and Control By-law 0098-2004, §27(2) Source · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
| Brampton | City of Brampton Animal Services | No hold period published here yet: contact City of Brampton Animal Services directly. | Animal Services By-law 201-2023, §§43–45 Official page · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
|
| Hamilton | City of Hamilton Animal Services | 3 days excluding impoundment day, statutory holidays and days the pound is not open | 3 days excluding impoundment day, statutory holidays and days the pound is not open | City of Hamilton By-law 12-031, §11.5 Source · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
| Vancouver | City of Vancouver Animal Control / City pound | 72 hours after date and time of impoundment | Not stated in the sources we checked | Vancouver Animal Control By-law 9150, §6.5(a) Source · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
| Surrey | City of Surrey Animal Resource Centre | 4 calendar days | 4 calendar days | City of Surrey — Lost & found pets (official City page) Source · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
| Victoria | City of Victoria Animal Control / Capital Regional District Animal Shelter | No hold period published here yet: contact City of Victoria Animal Control / Capital Regional District Animal Shelter directly. | Victoria Animal Control / CRD (official pages, not reconciled) Official page · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
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| Calgary | City of Calgary Animal Services Centre | 10 days with ID; 4 days without ID; day-counting convention not stated by the City page | 10 days with ID; 4 days without ID; day-counting convention not stated by the City page | City of Calgary — Impounded cats & dogs (official City page) Source · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
| Edmonton | City of Edmonton Animal Care & Control Centre | 10 business days with visible/permanent identification or licence tag; 3 business days with no visible/permanent identification or licence tag; after date of impoundment | 10 business days with visible/permanent identification or licence tag; 3 business days with no visible/permanent identification or licence tag; after date of impoundment | Animal Care and Control Bylaw 21244, s.42(3)–(4) Source · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
| Winnipeg | City of Winnipeg Animal Services Agency | 10 days for a validly licensed dog; 3 days for all other dogs; day-counting convention not stated by the City page | Not stated in the sources we checked | City of Winnipeg — Lost & found (official City page) Source · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
| Saskatoon | City of Saskatoon / Saskatoon Animal Control Agency | At least 72 hours, excluding the day of impounding | At least 72 hours, excluding the day of impounding | City of Saskatoon Bylaw 7860, §18(1) Source · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
| Regina | City of Regina / Regina Humane Society Animal Services Centre | Regina Humane Society states that City of Regina municipal-bylaw impounds are held at least 72 hours (3 days) from intake. Shelter-stated, not a direct City-bylaw quote. | Regina Humane Society states that City of Regina municipal-bylaw impounds are held at least 72 hours (3 days) from intake. Shelter-stated, not a direct City-bylaw quote. | Regina Humane Society — impounded animals (shelter-stated) Source · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
| Montréal | Ville de Montréal | No hold period published here yet: contact Ville de Montréal directly. The City names Proanima as its pet service centre; reclaim requires proof of ownership and payment of boarding costs. | Ville de Montréal — report a lost or found pet (official City page) Official page · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
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| Halifax | Halifax Regional Municipality Animal Services | 3 business days for a lost dog with no identification | Not stated in the sources we checked | Halifax Regional Municipality — Found pets (official HRM page) Source · Checked 17 Oct 2026 |
What to do right now
If your pet may have been picked up, call the municipal shelter or pound the same day. Ask directly how long your pet will be held and how the days are counted, because these rules are set by each municipality and can change.
- Work the lost-pet checklist step by step.
- Find the shelters and animal services near you in the directory.
- Read how to find a lost dog and how to find a lost cat.
What we have verified
We have verified 12 of 15 cities so far; the rest are listed without a number until we can confirm the current rule. A period is shown only when the city’s own bylaw or official page states it, with the source and the date we checked.
Start with the checklist
Knowing the hold period helps. Working the search in order, from the first hour, is what brings a pet home.