Parksville Qualicum Beach News
Small rally to free dangerous dogs

Brenda Falic and Carol Dobson are unhappy with the amount of money and energy the RDN is spending to fight dog owner Elaine Cameron.

A small but visible group of protesters were on the highway in front of the SPCA to gain attention for what they said is a waste of Regional District of Nanaimo taxpayers’ money to keep fighting a local dog owner in court.

“The amount of money spent by the RDN over a dog fight is ridiculous,” said Terry Elliott a neighbour of Elaine Cameron.

Cameron’s dogs Zack and Chloe were seized in January, 2009 after a dog fight, declared dangerous and ordered destroyed by a provincial court judge.

Cameron successfully appealed to commute the death sentences and the RDN appealed to the court of appeal to reinstate the destruction order.

“Our primary concern is to assure public safety,” said Tom Armet, manager of RDN building and bylaw services.

He said it’s too early to say what the RDN will do since the court of appeal decision to send the case back to provincial court just came through last week, but the dogs will be held until the case is resolved.

Elliott conceded Cameron probably should have had better control of her dogs at the time of the incident, but the yard has now been properly fenced and “Ms. Cameron beat the RDN’s lawyers fair and square, so why are they still fighting this?”

“I mean if they bit kids or people that would be one thing,” he said, “but this was just about a dog fight.”

Armet said there had been several incidents leading up to the seizure of the dogs including more than one attack on other dogs and threats to people and the RDN’s primary goal is public safety.

“We have instructed our solicitors to set another trial date,” he said, adding there is still some hope of finding another resolution before that.

While they feel for Cameron and her dogs, who allegedly have been in “solitary confinement, with no exercise or fresh air” for 13 months, Elliott said, the protesters’ biggest complaint is court costs.

Elliott guessed the costs have been over $100,000 at a time when services are being cut.

Armet said he didn’t have an exact figure but estimated the RDN has spent about $20,000 on court costs, which is paid by the residents of Area F.

“I’m just trying to get my babies back,” said Cameron, who arrived at the protest location on Monday morning while The News was on site. She pointed out she didn’t have anything to do with organizing the protest.