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Owners need to control dogs

Death of two rabbits highlights larger issue of canines at large

An incident surrounding two pet rabbits killed by unleashed dogs south of Powell River has opened up issues over controlling pets and the responsibility of owners.

Recently, Cindy Ling came home to her house on Zilinsky Road to find her two adopted rabbits, which were kept outside in an enclosed pen, dead. One rabbit had been decapitated and partially eaten and the other had a broken neck. The owners of the dogs apologized to Ling some time after the incident but Ling is getting frustrated with an occurrence she said is common in the area where she lives.

“Everybody’s just getting sick and tired of it,” said Ling. “If you’ve got animals, keep them contained. And if you don’t have them contained and you don’t have control over them, don’t inflict that on other people. You’ve got to buck up and do something.”

Powell River RCMP Sergeant Cam Muir said generally complaints over domestic animals are not a police matter and should most often be dealt with as a civil legal matter. Muir added in cases like this he advises the person with the complaint to contact the SPCA to help reconcile the situation and provide advice. Muir did say that a complaint can be filed with the RCMP and in the interest of keeping the peace they would talk to those involved and try to facilitate a solution.

Under the BC Livestock Act a dog can legally be destroyed if it goes after livestock, but a case like this involving domesticated pets would not qualify. Within the City of Powell River a dangerous dog bylaw can be enforced, which covers a dog that attacks other animals, but under the Powell River Regional District no such rules apply. Ling said she wants stronger rules that better protect pet owners.

Audrey Hill, Powell River SPCA branch manager, said out-of-control dogs killing people’s pets and livestock in rural areas is a common problem. It frustrates her that the law doesn’t have much to say in these situations and worries it will take something really bad to happen before anything changes.

“I’m sure the people who were exercising the dogs feel sad too,” said Hill. “It’s a sad lesson for everybody to learn, but one should be able to leave your pets in an enclosed area in a fenced yard and come home and find them safe.”

Not understanding the needs of a dog’s breed is often another part of the problem, she added. Siberian huskies, for instance, are notorious for making unhappy pets because they have been bred to perform certain tasks and expend a large amount of energy and without that they can become restless and unruly. Hill said that people need to do research before buying or adopting a pet and to think about whether they will be able to meet the breed’s needs.

Absolutely essential, said Hill, is to make sure that if a dog is potentially dangerous to other animals or people that it is kept in control. This means building proper fencing to keep in a dog or, as a less desirable option, to keep the dog chained. Keeping a dog on a leash when walking it is also essential if the dog has a habit to run off or is dangerous around other animals.

“Everyone in rural areas, when they are going out with their dogs, needs to be aware that they’ve got to be under control,” said Hill. “If you don’t feel you’ve got 105 per cent control over your dog in a rural area they’ve got to be leashed.”