http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/issues06/093106/news/093106nn1.html

Pound policy all bark...no bite

By Robyn Chambers

A policy of not spaying and neutering dogs prior to the canines being adopted from Chilliwack Animal Control is drawing the ire of some in the city.

The Big Heart Rescue Society, a non-profit charity which specializes in fostering unwanted pets, has raised concerns with the fact the city does not require the CAC to spay or neuter the stray animals.

The policy, asserts the society, will, "result in dogs remaining in the facility longer or killed, additional unwanted litters of puppies and more chained, neglected dogs."

Animal control in Chilliwack is run by the Commissionaire organization. The group has held the contract with the city to run CAC for nearly five years.

Big Heart Rescue Society president Gail Moerkerken has also expressed dissatisfaction with the decision to remove Chilliwack's dogs from the nation-wide Pet Finder website.

"They are the most well-known animal welfare rescue promotional site," Moerkerken said.

"The Vancouver Animal Shelter, Coquitlam, Delta, hundreds and hundreds of rescue organizations are on Pet Finder and they (the city) don't want that any longer. They want it taken down."

That's not true according to councillor and acting mayor Sharon Gaetz.

The issue is one of security and which sites are allowed to be officially linked to the city's.

"The biggest thing from the city's perspective is everything we are linked to we have to take the time to check it out to make sure that it's not linked to something inappropriate. It's not that the city said 'No' we'll shut this down," she explained.

As for spaying and neutering pets the city confirmed there is no policy requiring the procedure to take place prior to adoption.

And Gaetz didn't want to offer an opinion on whether the city should institute a change.

"I'm not sure about spaying and neutering. It would certainly make it (adoption) more expensive. I haven't looked into the pros and cons.

"I imagine there are some dogs they want to use to have puppies," she said.

But Moerkerken fears releasing dogs who haven't been fixed will result in a host of problems including an increase in chained backyard dogs, breeding bitches and unwanted puppies, a growth in backyard breeders and dangerous dogs.

Last year, 150 dogs were successfully adopted out and 29 were euthanized from Chilliwack Animal Control.

Gaetz confidently offered she believes animals that come into contact with CAC are being handled humanely and that every attempt is made to successfully adopt the pets out.

"We are pleased with the service they (Commissionaires) have been providing and we haven't had any complaint.

"We have every interest in carrying on a relationship with them and making sure that animals are treated humanely and adopted out whenever possible."

published on 09/12/2006