Resolutions

WHEREAS, municipalities do not always have the financial or personnel resources to have an animal control officer, trained employees, or adequate facilities to handle animal control issues; and

WHEREAS, various animal agencies such as the Humane Societies and various Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ie, SPCA) located in the cities are no longer helping small urban municipalities with animal control issues such as housing or surrendering, and if they are, there is a significant cost associated with it; and

WHEREAS, animal control issues, such as aggressive/dangerous dogs, are legislatively a grey area, whereby the municipality has to deal with the dogs until they attack or bite, at which point it becomes an RCMP issue and

WHEREAS, aggressive/dangerous dogs are a cause for concern for residents; and

WHEREAS, municipalities are not given enough authority or financial resources to deal with animal control issues appropriately or expediently; and

WHEREAS, animal control issues are divisive in many communities as viewpoints and solutions are on a broad spectrum and create no-win scenarios for municipalities to deal with;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT SUMA advocate the provincial government to amend legislation to provide municipalities with proper authority, resources, and funding to effectively deal with animal control issues.