Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Feb 26/99) - Inuvik Council gave dog owner Horst Podzadny an extension on the two weeks he had to comply with a bylaw to have a maximum of three dogs within town boundaries.

When the two weeks were up, on Feb. 22, it granted him until last night (after press time) when it could discuss the matter further.

Council discussed allowing Podzadny to keep the dogs if he were to sign an agreement to not let the number grow to more than 11.

Still, when Coun. Richard Binder suggested council ensure Podzadny's females be spayed, Podzadny replied, "Maybe I should fix you, over there."

Mayor George Roach sprang to Binder's defence, saying he would not allow any councillor to be threatened.

"You dear Mr. Mayor over there. You tax my land over there. All my dogs are gone over there," Podzadny told the mayor when he rose to speak.

Complicating the decision for council were comments from Podzadny's neighbour, Dan Michaud, who said Podzadny harasses his children when he only has three dogs.

"You say when he has three dogs he harasses your children and when he has 11 dogs he doesn't?" Roach asked.

"That's right," Michaud responded.

Though Roach said anger management is not council's responsibility and that he would not personally be blackmailed, he also stressed that councillors are not "vindictive and cruel people."

Similarly Coun. Denny Rodgers suggested revising the bylaw to allow Podzadny to keep the 11 dogs and said he was against destroying any of the dogs if Podzadny would agree not to up that number.

Coun. Don Craik said he did not like killing either but "if he's got 11, soon it will be 18."

Crown attorney Jenny Reed, who made a presentation in defence of Podzadny, said, "he obviously does not take you seriously because you didn't take any action until there's 11 or 80. You could say he's bucking the law or thwarting the system but it's understandable given his past history."

Coun. Derek Lindsay said health, safety and ability to control the dogs would determine his decision.

Many councillors also questioned Podzadny's financial ability to care for the dogs as well as the state of his health and how well he copes with life.

That four councillors (Peter Clarkson, Vivian Hunter, Clarence Wood and Garry Smith) were absent may have been another reason council voted to postpone its decision until last night.

In December, 1997, council was forced to shoot 79 of Podzadny's dogs after several residents complained about their condition.