Will pet bylaw land city in doghouse?

The city is bracing itself for a cat fight as it unveils a draft of a new harmonized animal control bylaw.

The bylaw, slated to be discussed at a public meeting tomorrow afternoon, blends eight pre-amalgamation bylaws into one document that will apply to the whole city.

Animal Control Services manager Paul Buckle says that any regulation dealing with animals stirs up an emotional response, and this bylaw will be no exception.

"It's impossible to make everybody happy. Any harmonized bylaw is a compromise," he said.

Though the bylaw abandons a controversial proposal to licence cats brought forward in September 2008, a proposal to stop picking up feral cats -- most of which are destroyed within three days of entering the shelter -- is back on the table.