• New Montreal pet regulations mean that Montreal pet owners need to have their cats or dogs microchipped by January 1, 2020.
• Pet owners of cats, dogs, and rabbits also need to have their pets sterilized by the same deadline.
• Information on where to find services in Montreal and the fines for noncompliance are below.
• Visit MTLBlog for more headlines.

If you are a pet owner in Montreal, the deadline to have your pet microchipped and sterilized is quickly approaching. In fact, the deed needs to be done by January 1, 2020, according to new Montreal pet regulations. The new city bylaw goes into effect on Wednesday, meaning time is running out if you want to avoid the potential $400 fine you may face for not microchipping your dog or cat and the potential $300 fine for not sterilizing your pet.  

Microchipping is now mandatory for cats and dogs over six months old, as is sterilization of cats, dogs, and rabbits over six months old.

According to The Canadian Press, the "majority of the 1,000 dogs and 5,000 cats received by the Montreal SPCA are not sterilized or microchipped on arrival," which can, in some cases, lead to the euthanasia of certain animals. 

Both the Montreal SPCA and the Association des médecins vétérinaires du Québec (AMVQ), along with Projet Montreal, who put the bylaw into effect, hope these measures will reduce the number of lost animals, as well as decrease the number of "unwanted" or otherwise unplanned offspring due to unsterilized pets.

In Montreal, cats and dogs will now need to undergo the quick and painless procedure of receiving a microchip for owners to avoid the associated fine.

The Montreal SPCA offers the service for just $45.

According to the City of Montreal, microchipping is a "permanent method of identifying the owner of a lost pet so that he or she can be contacted."

Unlike the tag on a collar, this microchip, which is as small as a grain of rice, sits under the skin of an animal and can't be lost.

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When it comes to sterilizing cats, dogs, and rabbits over the age of six months, Montreal pet owners also need to meet the January 1 deadline. 

The minimum fine, according to The Canadian Press, is $300 in Montreal and $100 in Laval.

The cost of sterilization in Quebec, according to AMVQ estimates reported by The Canadian Press, is between $219 and $289 for kittens and $328 to $367 for puppies.

These costs can be subsidized by the Mittens-Montreal SPCA Targeted Permanent Sterilization Clinic for "animal guardians with limited financial resources." However, the cost is not publicly disclosed.

Regarding sterilization, visit the Montreal SPCA website to get more information on why this is the best option for your pet and how you can access their network of services.

For information on microchipping your pet, visit the Ordre des médecins vétérinaires du Québec or get in touch with your vet. 

The Montreal SPCA also offers the quick, no-appointment-necessary procedure for only $45.