On Monday, October 2nd, the municipality of West Vancouver voted to permanently exile a single canine inhabitant.
Jemma, a German Shepherd, had her dog license revoked and her owner was instructed that the dog must leave the area within 14 days.
CBC notes that the municipality hasn’t had to revoke a dog’s license since the Animal Control Bylaw was first introduced back in 2008.
Surrey recently implemented a bylaw that hits owners of dangerous dogs with a hefty fine in an attempt to protect the public.
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The owner received 7 tickets totalling an astonishing $3,500 in fines for her dog’s aggressive behaviour and her failure to comply with recommendations from the council.
After being extremely aggressive toward people and pets, the dog was classified as “aggressive” in December 2016.
While the owner received tickets and warnings for the dog’s behaviour, she also received penalties for not creating a proper enclosure for her pet and letting it roam off of a leash.
Euthanasia For “Aggressive” German Shepherd
Under B.C.’s Community Charter, the dog could potentially be euthanized by the municipality’s animal control officers.
A family member was moved to tears while speaking to council about the possibility of putting the Shepherd down. It struck a cord with Bill Soprovich, who CBC notes was the only councillor that voted against the motion.
“When I was 8 years old, I had a German Shepherd clam onto the back of my leg, and every parent said we want the dog put down, and I said no. And a year later I was walking that dog around for exercise,” he said.
The debate remains a contentious one. While the city wants to uphold its bylaws, it also must consider the emotional weight of the situation.
