Dear Mayor Campbell:

It has been over two weeks since 14 year old Shenica White was viciously mauled by two mastiff-rottweiler dogs in East Vancouver. As we watch this young girl's recovery unfold on the evening news, I sincerely hope that you and your council members consider enacting a bylaw banning the chaining/tethering and social neglect of dogs in Vancouver.

The dogs that attacked Ms. White were documented in 17 reports by community safety patrollers who expressed concern about the animals' aggressive behaviour, which included barking ferociously and hurling themselves against the fence at passersby. The dogs were reportedly left in the yard 24 hours a day while the building showed no signs of human life.

Aggressive dogs are the result of irresponsible pet ownership. Research published by sources such as the Journal of US Public Health Service shows that dogs that are desocialized are responsible for the majority of attacks on humans. Dogs become vicious due to neglect, lack of care and isolation. Chaining goes against a dog's natural instincts, which is why tethering is often used as a method to train guard dogs to be more ferocious. The potential threat to public safety from dogs that have been psychologically damaged from the isolation of being kept locked or tethered in a backyard for long hours must be taken seriously. Dog attacks can inflict considerable physical and emotional damage on the victims and affect whole communities.

The most vulnerable members of society - the elderly, children and women are the main victims of dog maulings. Additionally, many young children who are bitten by a house pet often live in a home where the dog is chained in the yard on a regular basis.

Councillors Tim Louis and Fred Bass have openly stated their support of addressing the chained dog issue in Vancouver.

The previous Vancouver council received a report on chained dogs from the Animal Advocates Society of B.C. back in August 2001 and took no action. Please do not make the same mistake. Ms. White has already paid dearly for the delay in action. Rather than waiting for a dog mauling to occur and then reacting to it by euthanizing the dogs, please look at preventing these types of attacks in the first place.

Please work with groups such as the Animal Advocates of B.C., which has a vast knowledge about these dogs and has been tracking dangerous dogs in the lower mainland for ten years 15 years. It is the city of Vancouver's
responsibility to protect its citizens. Dog owners need to be penalized for mistreating their animals and banned from future dog ownership. The mistreatment of dogs not only hurts the animals themselves but also the people the animals come in contact with.

The problem of chained yard/guard dogs, especially in East Vancouver is growing and it is only a matter of time before another dog attack occurs. You have the power to help prevent another person from becoming a victim of a vicious dog attack. Please use your legislative power to do so.

Sincerely,

Betty Ing