AAS received the following email:

"My name is Jaida, and I have been involved in dog rescue for many years now. I just wanted to bring to your attention this posting on Brindlweb:

http://www.brindleweb.com/bbs/index.cgi?read=10993

I have also seen this dog in Richmond and have heard the upset conversations of the people at the off leash dog park (which is located very near to this dog). I drive past this poor dog once in a while; its cage is fairly large but the dog has nothing to do all day but sit and stare. That's about all the information I have."

AAS reply: Richmond rescuers should be offering to buy the dog no matter what it costs (like AAS does, raise the money, enough to get the dog first rate training too). Document the dog's conditions and get statements from all those people who have observed and are concerned and take your evidence to Richmond's Mayor and Council and demand anti-yard dog laws (once you've proven that the SPCA can do nothing with current laws). You should include some of the massive evidence that it is desocialized dogs that are the greatest danger to the public (especially children) and you should point out to the Mayor and Council that it has a duty (and a legal liability) to protect its citizens by banning the desocializing and keeping of dogs in isolation. Everything you need is on the AAS web.

October 15/02
I see by a 7pm yesterday post on CYA that Mia went and took the photos. Good. There are more yard dogs in Richmond that need documenting. The more you document, the stronger your argument to Richmond Council. AAS can help you by telling you what we know of how city halls work. We can appear at council with you. Richmond adopted our "Humane Treatment of Dogs" bylaws, the ones the SPCA never tried to enforce, on the same evening we appeared (in 1997). We can make our supporters in Richmond aware of what you are doing and get supporters to come to council when you get your item on the council agenda and go to council to speak. And we can speak to the Council and the media about the larger problem all over the lower mainland and what laws are in other municipalities. But most importantly, we can speak about the issue of public safety which even the most uncaring of councillors will pay attention to. If it takes making legislators afraid of their potential legal liability for permitting dogs to become desolialized and dangerous, then so be it. Whatever it takes to get them off chains, out of pens and garages, and off balconies.

Judy Stone

The link below is to AAS's investigations, documentation, research, reports, and stories and pictures of isolated dogs in Vancouver. We put all this work on the web so that others could use it to help these dogs, so please feel free to use it.