Livestock or Poultry Killed or Injured by Wildlife

If your livestock or poultry has been injured or killed by wildlife, you may be eligible for compensation through Ontario's Wildlife Damage Compensation Program.

If you think wildlife injured or killed your livestock or poultry:

1. Call a Municipal Livestock Predation Investigator within 48 hours.
2. Leave the animal and surrounding area as you found it. Avoid walking around the site or disturbing tracks, blood or other evidence.
3. Take photos. Take clear photos of the animal, its injuries and the location where it was found.
4. Protect the site if possible. A tarp may be placed over a carcass to help preserve evidence.
5. Get care for an injured animal right away. Contact a veterinarian or provide other humane treatment. An animal that is suffering may be euthanized before the investigator arrives. Keep veterinary and medication receipts.

Veterinary costs for an eligible injured animal may be covered up to the animal's fair market value.

The Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program provides financial assistance to eligible livestock and poultry owners when an animal is injured or killed by eligible wildlife.

Eligible predators include wildlife such as coyotes, wolves, bears, foxes, raccoons, birds of prey and several other species.

Damage caused by a dog is not eligible under this program.

Eligibility requirements include having the required farm and property identification and providing enough evidence to show that wildlife predation caused the injury or death.

You must also show that reasonable steps were being taken to protect livestock or poultry from predation.

Check eligibility and eligible species through the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program.

A Municipal Livestock Predation Investigator will visit the property, within 72 hours of being contacted.

The investigator will:

• examine the animal and the site
• photograph and document the evidence
• try to determine what caused the injury or death
• collect information needed for your application
• complete the report and submit the program application to the City within seven business days of completing the investigation.

You can also provide supporting information such as photos, sales receipts, breeding records or registration documents.

The City reviews the application and sends it to the Province for a decision.

A copy of the report will be mailed to the livestock owner when the Clerks Office receives it from the Predation Investigator.

Be prepared to provide the information required by the provincial program, which may include:

• a valid Farm Business Registration Number
• a Premises Identification (PID) number for the property
• your Canada Revenue Agency business number or, when required, Social Insurance Number
• veterinary or medication receipts
• records that help establish the animal's value, such as sales, breeding or registration records

The investigator can explain what information is required for your claim.

The Province determines whether a claim is eligible and how much compensation will be provided. Compensation is based on provincial fair market value tables and the circumstances of the loss.

The Province aims to notify applicants of its decision within 30 business days after receiving a complete application. If you disagree with the decision, you may appeal within 20 business days of the date on the decision letter.

View compensation rates and Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program information.

Once the investigator has completed the site visit and tells you the animal can be removed, dead livestock and poultry must be disposed of according to Ontario's dead farm animal disposal requirements.

Municipal Livestock Predation Investigators are appointed by the City and have experience assessing livestock losses and signs of wildlife activity.

Their job is to gather evidence and provide an impartial assessment of what likely caused the injury or death.

They may look at:

• wounds and injuries
• tracks, scat or other signs of wildlife
• blood or signs of a struggle
• damage to fencing or vegetation
• the condition and location of the animal
• other evidence at the site

The Province makes the final decision about eligibility and compensation.