By Cheryl Jahn

New Animal Control Bylaw Coming

Nov 6, 2017 | 8:23 PM

Councillors went around the horn several times on the subject of a new Animal Control bylaw. Back in January, Council set the wheels in motion to make changes to the antiquated bylaw and the stakeholder process got underway.
The new bylaw sets out clear definitions of what are “nuisance,” “aggressive” and “dangerous dogs.”
The new bylaw will set out barking time limits as a nuisance; at night, barking for a duration longer than five minutes and 10 minutes during the day as constituting a nuisance.
The new bylaw will define “aggressive” behaviour” as “any behaviour by a dog that unduly intimidates a person or an animal and includes snarling, growing or pursuing a person or an animal in a threatening manner.”
The byaw will define “dangerous” is defined as “a dog that: (a) has killed or seriously injured a person and (b) has killed or seriously injured a domestic animal while in a public place or while on private property owned or occupied by the person responsible for the dog, or an animal control officer has reasonable grounds to believe [the dog] is likely to kill or cause serious injury.”
The latter has a couple of Councillors upset, such as Councillor Albert Koehler and Councillor Brian Skakun, who took issue with the concept that a person or animal had to be killed or seriously injured before a dog is declared “dangerous”
“I think that’s absolutely wrong,” says Skakun.
Also, the new bylaw does not attribute a “dangerous dog” status to any particular breed of animal. Currently, the City has 90 licenced “dangerous dogs,” 15 of whhich are not of the pitbull breed.
As for cats, the new bylaw will set out that cats must have identification. That was something cat owners agreed with in a survey conducted by the City over the summer. However, cats will not have to be licenced.
Councillor Jillian Merrick says dealing with cats is a big issue Prince George.
“The reality is Prince George has a ridiculous number of cats. I think more work needs to be done in this respect.”
Council has given first three readings to the proposed bylaw.