Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 15/01) - A bizzare landlord-tenant dispute is raising questions about what constitutes decent living conditions for pets.

Penelope Shaw, a director of the Yellowknife Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, rented her cabin, 21 kilometres outside of Yellowknife, to a man who responded to an ad about a year ago.

Penelope Shaw with the puppy that was left at her cabin. - Jennifer McPhee/NNSL photo

"I met a delightful fellow with one small white dog," remembers Shaw.

However, according to Shaw, her new tenant brought 15 dogs to the property, which sits on Highway 3. The dogs, which are mixed breeds, began multiplying and at one point there were about 40 dogs living there.

"He kept on breeding them," she said. "He's just not spaying and neutering his pets."

Shaw said that the dogs appeared well fed, but were living in appalling conditions. She said they were surrounded by their own feces. "I moved 80 bags of excrement off the site," she said. "The excrement was literally inches thick."

When the tenant vacated the property in early July at Shaw's request, he left four dogs and one puppy behind.

After several failed attempts to have the dogs impounded, Shaw trapped the animals herself and brought them to her former tenant's new residence.

"I didn't want to bring them there, but I was afraid they would be shot," she said. Shaw also found a home for the puppy. The tenant, who had clumps of dog hair on his shirt, declined to comment when approached by Yellowknifer Saturday. But he did say that he left the five dogs behind because he couldn't catch them.

RCMP officer Luc Theriault and a veterinarian accompanied Shaw to the cabin while the tenant was moving out. They found a dead cat and a dead dog in the outdoor sauna. After his investigation, Theriault said he believes Shaw is overreacting.

"There's always two sides to a story," he said. "The place was a mess, but they were still moving out."

Theriault said he is satisfied with the tenant's explanation for the dead animals. He reportedly said the animals were hit by cars on the highway. Because the ground was frozen at the time, the tenant placed the dogs in the sauna and then forgot about them.

Theriault added, however, that he was concerned that some of the dogs were running free.

RCMP Sgt. Al McCambridge said there are no grounds for laying criminal charges. "There was no evidence of cruelty to animals," he said. As for the mess on the property: "That's not a criminal matter and it's not a concern of ours," he said. Keeping animals in clean conditions is not specifically mentioned in the NWT Dog Act. It does state that "no person shall punish a dog in a manner or to an extent that is cruel or unnecessary."

Section 446 of the Criminal Code states that owners must provide animals with suitable food, water, shelter and care.

Tom Pisz, owner of the Great Slave Animal hospital said he is concerned that the dogs aren't vaccinated or neutered. The hospital and the SPCA have agreed to pay 40 per cent of the costs to neuter the animals.

"I don't know why he has that many dogs," said Pisz. "It shouldn't be allowed."

He added. "I think he loves the dogs, but he doesn't realize if they aren't vaccinated, there is a danger of spreading disease."

Shaw has filed a complaint with the residential tenancy commission to recover the costs of repairing the damage to her cabin and surrounding area.

A hearing date has not been set.