PUSLINCH — How many dogs would you feel comfortable having in your kitchen? An Arkell woman is seeking a kennel bylaw amendment that would permit at least 15.
Delegating to Puslinch council Wednesday afternoon, Arkell resident Jennifer Beehler asked councillors to consider amending the township's existing kennel bylaw to permit rather than prohibit housing non-owned dogs within a home kennel.
Sharing her intent to establish a small in-home dog care and training "hobby" if the bylaw is amended, Beehler said amending the bylaw would prevent the canine stress and significant health and behavioural issues that can occur when dogs are kept in traditional kennel environments.
Under the township's current bylaw, kennels are not permitted within or attached to any dwelling unit and no part of any building enclosing a kennel can be used for human habitation.
"There are several dogs in the community that are struggling in terms of their behaviour and by being able to help them, I'm helping the community and doing my passion," said Beehler, supported by letters from local vets.
When asked how many dogs she could "envision in her kitchen" if the bylaw is amended, Beehler said 15. She later clarified this is up to council's discretion.
The proposed volume of dogs was a "significant concern" for Mayor James Seeley, who said amending the bylaw "opens a big can of worms."
Residents can currently keep at least three dogs per dwelling and a maximum of five dogs per property without qualifying as a kennel. The limit for a kennel in a separate building is 25 dogs.
"You said Arkell- that could be the middle of Arkell, it could be on the edge of the urban boundary. 15 dogs at a house in the middle of Arkell is pretty concerning to me," said Seeley. "The waste, the noise ... I feel when we did our kennel bylaw, we were very much so wanting them out in the rural where the impact is less."
Staff will bring back a report outlining the potential amendment at a future meeting, likely in Q1 of 2026 since kennel licensing is "quite time consuming" and will likely require a bylaw amendment and additional licensing requirements, said interim CAO Courtenay Hoytfox.
Mapleton, Minto and Wellington North all currently have bylaw provisions allowing for in-home dog care on a case-by-case basis.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.