At a public consultation meeting held at the Midnight Sun Recreation Centre last week to discuss the controversial issue, not one person said a new dog pound was a bad idea.

"I think the message was loud and clear from the people that were there. They want the town to spend some money on a new shelter," said senior administrative officer Jerry Veltman.

"Everyone said we need a proper place to hold (dogs)."

About 50 people attended the Jan. 26 meeting. They were separated into four groups and handed a series of questions to discuss how the community can reduce dog control problems and costs, how dog owners can be encouraged to be more responsible, how to simplify registration and licensing, what type of facility dogs should be housed in, and where the dog pound should be located.

At the end of the debates, one member of each group presented their findings to the others.

Several groups suggested the town look at microchip implantation and registration.

Dogs would receive a shoulder implantation, owners would pay a one-time registration cost and all dogs and owners could be recorded in a national database. The implants have been estimated by a Calgary company to cost $12 to $15 per dog.

Free neutering for all

Many suggested the town subsidize spaying and neutering to cut down on problems with overpopulation.

Resident Murray Arsenault said the town should crack down on male dogs. He said the town should bring in a vet and offer three one-week periods of free neutering, which he jokingly referred to as a "neuteramus."

On the issue of a new dog pound, all groups agreed a new facility is needed with heat, running water and proper sewer drainage. Some suggested a multi-purpose room for vet clinics, education workshops and grooming space be included also.

Others suggested the town include a kennel for owners to house their dogs for a fee when they leave town.

Veltman said the meeting was quite productive and many of the suggestions will be considered. Town administrators are currently in the process of revising the animal control bylaw.

"The suggestions about spaying and neutering are probably going to be looked at seriously and the microchip idea, I think, has a lot of merit," said Veltman.

He noted everyone who attended was on the same side.

"We still haven't got the other side of the coin, the people that really don't care about the dogs," he said.

Those who attended the meeting "are not the problem," he said.

He added he wasn't surprised the "people that don't care" were a no-show.

"Now we need to get other people to buy into the fact that a dog is something that should be cared for and looked after."

Beaufort Delta SPCA manager Linda Eccles said the meeting wasn't what she expected, but found it went very well.

"I believe now that they need the help from us and we're going to put in a new proposal to take over the dog control in the town," she said.

Eccles said she did not wish to provide any details until she consults with SPCA members at the annual general meeting later this month.