Dog bylaw on hold

Ron Devitt, staff reporter

An animal advocacy group has made Burnaby city council rethink its proposed dog-tethering bylaw.

Judith Stone, president of the Animal Advocates Society of B.C., told city council Monday that its planned bylaw to limit the time that a dog can be tethered and unattended during the day misses the mark.

"An hour of noise and aggressive behaviour by an 'unattended' dog is still going to be a public nuisance, especially if 'unattended' means that no one needs to be on the property," Stone told council. "And tethering is still permitted 24 hours a day as long as it is attended in some way.

"The proposal still allows car-lot dogs to be chained all day as there will always be salesmen in attendance."

Council was prepared to pass its dog-tethering bylaw Monday night, but Stone's words moved Coun. Colleen Jordan to the point she asked that the matter be tabled until staff looked into it further.

"I would hate to pass a bylaw that puts animals in a more dangerous situation than they already are," said Jordan.

"I would feel better having some better information, rather than pass a bylaw that would do that."

Stone gave several Burnaby examples and included pictures of dogs who were left unattended for long periods of time either tethered, in pens or alone in yards.

"Many yard dogs live their whole lives, night and day, summer and winter, loose in a residential or business yard, in a dirty pen, on a chain, in a garage, caged behind a building, boarded up under a porch or a deck, on a balcony - and some are even kept in sheds," Stone told council.

"I'm actually at a loss," noted Coun. Lee Rankin. "I know in my neighbourhood there are animals that are left out for long periods of time."

Mayor Derek Corrigan asked if tethering a dog would have an adverse effect on the animal and Rick Earle, director of finance, replied he would have to review the literature.

Jordan asked that the matter be tabled and made a motion that staff review Stone's concerns.

"I don't intuitively think this tethering bylaw would be a detriment to dogs," said Corrigan. "I personally think it would be for the betterment of dogs."

The tethering bylaw emerged from a request from council in October, in response to concerns raised in a staff report. That report noted that continuous tethering of dogs has been found to be inhumane because research has shown that dogs have strong "emotional and psychological needs" that require regular socialization and interaction.

The report indicated the SPCA has investigated 30 cases involving tethering this year.

Stone said the solution would be a bylaw that bans people from keeping dogs outside the primary building, loose in yards or on chains or other means of tethering.

"Most people who keep a dog this way will choose not to own a dog if they are not permitted to keep it outside." said Stone.

published on 01/11/2006