November 28, 2005

Mayor Sullivan and Council,
The City of Vancouver,
V5Y 1V4

Your Worship and Councillors,

This dog and many other dogs live their entire lives in a garage or shed. They are often also tethered or sometimes caged in the garage or shed to keep them from damaging the car or tools they are protecting by their barking. Although these dogs have shelter, they still suffer from a lack of a minimum standard of care because they are shut out from their 'family/pack', often have no sanitary place to sleep and often lack proper veterinary care. Their plight is perhaps the saddest of all. Their lives are often spent not only with no company or stimulation, but almost entirely in the dark. Therefore, I believe that it is important for the bylaw enforcer to have access to garages and sheds if there is reason to believe that a dog is being kept there.

Sometimes dogs are penned outside. I do not believe it is acceptable for dogs to be left in pens where they still suffer from the isolation that FREQUENTLY makes them anti-social and dangerous and which pens are almost invariably dirty with feces. But we don't expect at this time to ban penning and so we ask for humane guidelines for this. I would like to see a by-law that states than a pen must be at least 200 square feet, that it must contain a regulation sized and constructed dog house, and that the length of time a dog can be isolated in a pen be limited to one four-hour period a day.

What is the address of the dog(s) you are reporting? xxxx East 36th Avenue, Vancouver
How many dogs are you reporting? One
What is the breed(s), age, sex, size, colouring of the dog(s)? Pit Bull, about one and a half years old, male, medium sized and black
How long has the dog (or dogs) been in this situation? As long as he moves there
Is the dog out at night also? If yes, can you say how you know? Yes, because he is barking all night when he is hungry and when his owners were at the house ignoring him
How much time does the dog spend outside? Almost all the time
Is it tethered, loose, in a pen, in a garage, in a shed, in a basement, on a porch or balcony, etc? He is in the backyard and sometimes tethered with a hooked choke chain
Can the dog(s) see out of its place of keeping or is its vision blocked? His vision is blocked by the high fence all around him.
If tethered, how long is the tether and what is it made of? The hooked choke chain is made of metal.
Is the tether wrapped around the dog¡¦s neck? Yes
Is there a choke chain around the dog¡¦s neck to which the tether is attached? Yes
Is there excrement that the dog must live near or in? Yes
Is there a smell of urine? Yes, during the summer
Is the dog ever walked? How frequently? Never
Have any of the neighbours reported this dog to the SPCA? Yes
Will you take photos of the dog showing the tether, shelter, feces, overturned water dishes, etc and send them to us? Yes, please see attached Photos are VERY important. Any photo, even of the porch, or the pen, etc, is better than no photo. It is not possible for AAS to get to every dog reported to us, so the dog is counting on you to document its suffering.
What is your name, address and phone number? I wish to be anonymous
A prompt action and reply is appreciated.