Cochrane Town Council is considering a new online pet licensing system aimed at improving convenience for residents and cutting administrative costs by nearly half.
During a June 23 council meeting, Jay Judin, Cochrane’s director of protective services, presented a proposed geographic information systems (GIS)-based platform that would automate many manual pet registration processes.
“The proposed system includes an online public- and internal-facing website identical to that currently used by Rocky View County,” said Judin. “It would automate current manual processes and significantly decrease animal licensing administration costs.”
The software would allow residents to register, renew or cancel licences online. Judin said it could reduce licensing administration costs by about 50 per cent-- from $114,545 to $58,534 annually. The software itself costs $4,500 per year and can be cancelled at any time.
According to administration, additional benefits include:
- Reduced fees for tattooed or microchipped animals
- Discounted or eliminated fees for low-income or elderly residents
- Multi-year registration discounts
- Better reunification of lost pets through a centralized database
The presentation followed a notice of motion from Coun. Tara McFadden at the April 28 meeting, in which she requested a report examining the implications of removing pet licensing altogether.
“I think we may have just evolved out of this being the most effective way of restoring pets to their owners,” McFadden said. She referenced Okotoks, which replaced its licensing model with a visible collar ID system earlier this year, suggesting Cochrane explore a similar approach to reduce administrative overhead.
Judin, however, emphasized that Cochrane’s licensing program generates significant revenue, which was $146,273 in 2024 through 4,515 dog and 1,063 cat registrations under the Town’s user-pay model outlined in Animal Bylaw 04/2016. That figure is projected to increase to $155,000 in 2025.
Licensing revenue currently supports:
- Maintenance of off-leash dog parks
- Dog waste bags, bins and disposal
- Contributions to the Cochrane & Area Humane Society
- Pet-related bylaw enforcement
Judin also noted licensing helps support municipal enforcement and emergency management efforts.
“Licensing provides crucial information used for reunifying pets with owners, investigating barking complaints, identifying dogs reported as dangerous or repeat offenders, and supporting legal proceedings,” he said. “It’s also vital for coordinating pet evacuation and care during emergencies.”
Still, McFadden questioned its real-world impact.
“My challenge with the current model is that we’re spending that much money, but not everybody registers their pets,” she said. “To say we’re using that data-- I’m dubious.”
Other councillors were more supportive of maintaining the licensing system, especially if it’s enhanced through new technology.
“As a dog owner, I support not only maintaining licensing but increasing fees to ensure sufficient pet-related services,” said Coun. Alex Reed.
Coun. Marni Fedeyko expressed interest in seeing how the new software could reduce costs and improve access. “If it removes a lot of costs and barriers, then let’s move on,” she said.
Council ultimately voted 5–1 to receive the report as information, maintaining the current system while continuing to evaluate service improvements.
