There's a chance Sarnia could increase the number of dogs and cats people in the city are allowed to have.
Council has asked staff to investigate the possibility of increasing the current limits by one.
City/County Councillor Bill Dennis proposed the idea as a way to save dog and cat lives and reduce the strain on animal shelters.
"Having three dogs per household is not unusual in Ontario," Dennis said. "I did some research and Sarnia's limit of two seems to be outside the norm. The nearby cities of London, Windsor, and Chatham all currently have a three dog bylaw, and not a two dog bylaw."
The current Sarnia cat bylaw allows two per adult on the premises, rather than per household.
"By expanding the number of dogs to three per household without fees, and three cats per adult, we could create a much better solution for Sarnia," Dennis said.
He described the idea as a "win-win."
"We could support the humane society, and other cat rescue organizations in our community, and also help with the mental health of our citizens," said Dennis.
Councillor Adam Kilner asked to include the Sarnia and District Humane Society in the information gathering.
City/County Councillor Chrissy McRoberts suggested background checks or an application process to weed out bad owners.
"I think I'm a good parent for pets and I would love to have three dogs, but unfortunately not everybody is," McRoberts said.
Mayor Mike Bradley hoped any issue would be identified in a report.
"I can guarantee you, from experience, you do not want to become the arbitrator of people appealing if they can have another dog in their house," Bradley said.
He specifically asked staff to include the number of annual dog complaints and issues between neighbours because of dogs in the report.
Councillor Terry Burrell felt the city would be better off to leave the bylaw as it is.
While cat owners aren't required to license their pets in Sarnia, dog owners are.
Dog licenses must be purchased each year. The standard fee is $38.50 for a spayed or neutered dog, and $88 for an unaltered dog.
The fine for not licensing your dog each year is $150.