Steinbach Animal Control By-law - One Step Forward, Stay In Place

I have read through, a number of times, the new City of Steinbach Animal Control By-law and I have some questions, although I'm not hopeful that we'll get any clear answers the questions will remain.

The sections of the Animal Control By-law are in a different font below with some key areas highlighted. It is important to remember that in Manitoba the Animal Care Act requires inspection and licensing if all shelters, pounds and kennel facilities. We would need to see that license on file with the City of Steinbach as it is their facility although it resides in the R.M. of Hanover.

Destroying dogs for humane reasons

6.5 Despite section 6.4, if the Animal Control Officer believes that an impounded dog

is suffering from injury, disease, sickness, or other cause which it is unlikely to survive or

from which it is unlikely to recover, and that destroying the dog would be humane, the

Animal Control Officer may destroy the dog immediately.


The Animal Control Officer has no veterinary training to make this determination and should be required to consult with a veterinary professional, either local or provincial, to make a determination of the health of an animal.


Caring for dogs/animals

6.6/8.10 The Animal Control Officer, as he or she considers necessary and humane, may

maintain and care for impounded dogs including the provision of food, water, and shelter,

and may arrange for veterinary care and medication.
I combined the sections 6 and 8 because their wording is the same whether it be for dogs or 'other' animals. What expertise or training does an Animal Control Officer have to qualify them to determine what is necessary and humane for the care of impounded animals? Do they know the recommended food rations, quantity of water, the need for shelter that is adequate year round? How is the humane treatment of someone's PET discretionary? I really have issue with the words "may maintain and care" and if they choose not to? What is the penalty? Has the job description for the Animal Control Officer changed enough to require training and resources? Who provides the food? At what point is veterinary care determined and for what duration during the 72 hour window?

Disposing of dogs/animals

6.7/8.11 After expiry of the 72 hours referred to in section 6.4, the Animal Control Officer

may destroy, or sell by auction or private sale, an impounded dog.
Destroy, sell by auction or private sale - and to whom do the proceeds go? What methods of rehoming these animals are going to be used? We would strongly encourage the City of Steinbach to use their website, Facebook, Steinbach Humane Society and Steinbach & Area Animal Rescue as resources to foster and rehome these animals. The decision to destroy healthy, adoptable animals based soley on a clock or space requirements is wrong.

No destruction of cats in by-law, is the animal control officer still hoarding them on his property or setting them loose in the country? There is very little in the by-law about how cats are handled, nothing on their disposal once impounded or what is being done with feral cats. This is a big gap and a huge concern.

SECTION 10

EUTHANASIA

Destroying of an animal

10.1 Any reference to the destroying of an animal will follow the American Veterinary

Medical Association (AVMA) Guidelines on Euthanasia. The principle for a humane

method of killing an animal is a rapid unconsciousness and death, with the least possible

pain and distress accompanying the procedure. The most appropriate method of

euthanasia may vary depending on the circumstances and the animal species. Euthanasia

is not desirable as a sole means of population control, but is a necessary requirement for

unwanted companion animals. Optimal methods of euthanasia will be used. Shooting an

animal is considered a humane way to destroy an animal as it produces immediate

unconsciousness prior to death. Shooting may be the most practical and logical method

of euthanasia of wild or free ranging animals. Gunshot will not be used for routine

euthanasia of animals in animal control situations.

There is no reason, absolutely NONE, that would require the City of Steinbach to euthanize 'unwanted companion animals' as a method of animal control. Killing healthy adoptable pets doesn't stop people from dumping them, doesn't prevent irresponsible pet owners from causing their pets harm, it doesn't stop puppy mills or other activities that are detrimental to animals. Killing is easier than finding homes...and that is not a way forward.

I would encourage EVERYONE who reads this to write the Mayor and Council of the City of Steinbach to reconsider their KILL POUND policy and move forward into a new age of social networking and using the internet to return or rehome animals rather than killing them. The Mayor can be reached at his email: mayor@steinbach.ca

You can view the entire by-law at this link: http://www.steinbachonline.com/images/stories/pdfs/2010_04_animal_control.pdf