WESTCOAST NEWS
Experts in dogfight over Rottweiler
Dr. Stanley Coren, a Vancouver dog expert, says he'd like to see more funding for animal shelters, instead of spending $500,000 on moving Luna the lonely whale. He thinks there's still hope to retrain Cheech.

"Generally at that age there's still enough time to solve a psychological problem," says Coren, a UBC psychology professor and author of a dozen books, including the recent How to Speak Dog.

"If someone has established a relationship with the dog where they can wander off with it, it might be the best thing for the dog. Just have them sign the waiver saying the SPCA isn't responsible. Give the dog the benefit of the doubt. It's a living thing. If it doesn't work out, they can always bring it back and euthanize it."

The SPCA says that's no walk in the park. "We have a moral and legal duty not to put the public at risk," says Chortyk.
© The Vancouver Sun 2004