St Albert Gazette (Alberta): Chains cruel says resident

Animal Advocates Watchdog

Chains cruel says resident
By Peter Boer
Staff Writer
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A local dog lover is urging city council to make St. Albert the first community in Alberta to outlaw the use of industrial guard dogs and the permanent chaining of dogs.

Vera van Diepen, along with dog trainer Steve Gendron, made a presentation to St. Albert city council Nov. 7, asking council to draft a bylaw prohibiting local businesses from using "junkyard dogs" to guard their premises.

"There’s no need for a guard dog in industrial areas," said van Diepen. "There are more sophisticated ways of guarding property and I can’t think of an organization that would chain up a dog to protect its property with its barking."

van Diepen’s concern, however, does not extend just to the use of guard dogs. She also wants the city to pass a bylaw forbidding anyone from chaining a dog on a permanent basis. Some dogs, she said, can be left chained for days, even weeks on end with little relief from their owners.

"The dog is the only animal that has been domesticated by man we keep on the end of a chain," she said. "Dogs have choked at the end of a chain. They can even be poisoned."

These so-called pets are often left alone, with little social interaction with other people or animals. They are left without food and water in sub-zero temperatures.

"I have seen the conditions these dogs are in and it’s appalling," said van Diepen. "It’s not like someone is taking care of these dogs on a regular basis and this is something I can’t handle."

She presented council with a package of information, detailing examples of similar bylaws in other communities. Eleven communities in B.C. have passed legislation that sets limits on how long a dog can be chained. Across the continent, 34 communities have developed similar bylaws.

St. Albert Mayor Paul Chalifoux said van Diepen’s presentation to council was very knowledgeable and that there is an interest on council to explore the matter further. He has circulated the information van Diepen tendered during her presentation among council members, who will now research existing bylaws in the hopes of drafting something similar.

"I believe there is some interest in doing something, but it’s still early in the process," said Chalifoux. "I think council was quite moved by the presentation."
pboer@stalbert.greatwest.ca

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