Lasqueti Island has gone to the dogs.
During a recent Powell River Regional District board meeting held on the island, directors heard from several residents who voiced complaints about noise and viciousness from a roaming pack of canines.
Susan Ann Morrison, a Lasqueti Island Local Trust Committee trustee who has lived on the island for 14 years, brought the concern about dogs to the regional district representatives at a meeting held in the island’s community hall.
“What I am speaking to you about today is an issue I’ve been dealing with for about two and a half years,” she said. “We have been fielding many calls of concern.”
Morrison said this particular dog case is a problem because the animals are not contained and roam freely. The dogs are of the Belgian shepherd breed, “which, as many of you know, are fairly aggressive dogs,” Morrison said. The dogs continue to breed and have litters.
“They have been killing sheep and deer on the island for several years now,” she said. “Recently, there was an attack on a woman and there is a file with the RCMP in Parksville. Because of this file, I went to speak with the RCMP in Parksville.”
Morrison met with a sergeant at the detachment who suggested she attend the regional board meeting and petition directors for whatever they could do to enact a bylaw, or at least look into it from their perspective of government regarding dogs at large, and specifically dogs that are aggressive.
“I’ve also attended meetings on the island with concerned residents,” Morrison said. She added that the next step would be to put the concern out to the entire island.
“Our hands are tied as citizens,” she said. “We are really frustrated.” The islanders have also spoken to the SPCA and there is no obvious resolution.
Dave Murphy, acting regional district chair and Area D director from Texada Island, said the matter would come up at one of the regional board’s future committee meetings.
At the regional board’s rural services committee meeting mid-September, Al Radke, chief administrative officer, said both the Local Government Act and the Community Charter provide authority for peace officers to regulate, and if necessary, seize a dog if it is deemed to be dangerous or presenting an imminent danger to the public. Radke said the local RCMP detachment has the powers it requires to deal with the situation and should investigate the matter more closely.
The committee recommended that the regional district board communicate with the Parksville RCMP the provisions available under the Local Government Act and the Community Charter with regard to powers and authorities for dealing with dangerous dogs.
