Livestock Claims

When a livestock owner experiences damages to their livestock, and wants to claim compensation for the damages, they must contact the Town at 519-793-3522 within 48 hours of discovering the injury or death.   

After hours contact numbers are provided on the Town's answering system should you need to contact a Town representative when our office is closed.

The Ontario Wildlife Damage and Compensation Program Provincial Guidelines specifically state that the municipality must be contacted first. Please do not contact livestock investigators directly. Town staff will contact a livestock investigator to contact the livestock owner and visit the damage site.   

When the livestock investigator attends the property they will take pictures and assess the site and livestock.

The livestock investigator will complete a compensation application form within seven (7) business days after conducting the inspection.  There are sections of the application which must be completed by the livestock owner.  Be sure to work with the livestock investigator to ensure the owner portions of the application are completed.  

A copy of the application will be provided to the Town, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Livestock Owner.

The Ontario Wildlife Damage and Compensation Program Provincial Guidelines stipulates that you are not to remove a carcass from the site where it was discovered until the livestock investigator has attended the property to assess the loss.  The Province has denied claims if they feel that the farmer has not taken all necessary precautions to secure the site. 

Livestock owners are encouraged to take pictures of any damaged/injured/killed livestock and the secured site when it is discovered and to provide the pictures to the livestock investigator and/or to the Town.  The compensation application form has a section for the livestock owner to sign and indicate if the owner will be providing additional evidence.  Be sure to complete this section of the application.

If an owner has submitted five (5) applications under the program within one (1) calendar year and intends to submit a subsequent application, the Ministry will require the completion and submission of a reasonable care plan. 

The Town submits the completed application form to the Ministry.  The Ministry decides the compensation which will be given.  The owner will be notified within thirty (30) business days of submission of a complete application.

The livestock owner will only be compensated once the claim is approved by the Ministry and all appeal periods have expired. 

Appeals can be lodged by the livestock owner within twenty (20) business days of the date on the notification letter. Livestock owners are encouraged to read the Ministry guidelines to understand the appeal process and responsibilities of each party in an appeal.