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Rankin considers dog registration bylaw
Nicole Veerman Northern News Services Published Wednesday, August 3, 2011
"Basically, we're just trying to get a handle on loose dogs in the community," said Coun. Kyle Sheppard. "It's been an ongoing issue for forever. It's ultimately not the dog's fault, it's the responsibility of owners to keep their dogs tied up." The cost of registration is still in discussion, said Sheppard, who added that it won't be expensive. There will also be a reduced price for registering a team of sled dogs, he said. "It's not punitive. We're not punishing people for owning dogs. It's just more or less to cover the cost of the tag and some administration at the hamlet." Sheppard said if the proposed bylaw is passed through three readings, registered dogs that are captured will be treated differently than dogs without a tag. Owners of registered dogs would be notified immediately, he said, while owners of unregistered dogs would not be contacted at all. "If you don't care enough to register your dog, we're not going to commit as many resources to continually picking up those dogs," he said. After a dog is captured by a bylaw officer, an owner would have three days to retrieve it. Sheppard said there would be a small fee for retrieval, but that number is still being finalized. On top of the retrieval fee, an owner with an unregistered dog would also have to pay to register their pet before it's allowed to go home. Dogs that aren't picked up from impound within the three-day window will be put down, said Sheppard. "If every owner in town was responsible and kept their dog tied up, no dogs would have to be destroyed in Rankin," he said, noting this is a matter of ensuring the community is safe. "You have to protect the public first and foremost," he said. "People have been bitten by dogs. Children have been bitten by dogs. You look at other communities, children have been killed by dogs. "A family pet that's friendly to your family is not necessarily as friendly to the general public." John Hickes, owner of Nanuq Lodge and more than 30 sled dogs, said he thinks the hamlet is right to try to put some regulations in place, but he's not convinced registration will solve the problem. He said it could cause more issues than it solves. For instance, if someone is to come by and let a dog off its chain, then the owner is the one paying the fee, or even worse, they're the one that loses their dog. "There are some respectable dog owners that are going to get caught in that loop," he said. "I agree we have to have some control in this town, but I can see the hassles they're going to have." Sheppard said he expects the proposed bylaw to be presented for first reading soon.
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