REGINA — A new City of Regina survey reviewing the animal bylaw has stirred debate among residents over whether certain dog breeds should be banned.
Residents are asked to answer 12 questions, including “limiting ownership of certain dog breeds.” Liana Vogelsang, a dog owner, strongly opposed banning certain dog breeds.
“I think it’s up to the owner to raise their dog with the right temperament. I don’t think there’s a single breed that’s bad.”
Vogelsang said raising a dog is all about time and energy.
“You have to show love, but be firm. And as soon as you see anything aggressive, you stop it. Puppies want a bite [and] that’s how they play.”
As for owners bringing their dogs around others, Vogelsang would hope they understand their personality and how they play. She also mentioned dog owners can take their canine to other places besides parks.
As for other dog owners, Kevin King, a retired mailman, supported banning certain dog breeds.
“There’s a lot of dog bites out there. You see some of these [aggressive] dogs chained up. So, is it really fair for them?”
King also said he’s been bitten by a dog while having several confrontations with canines.
While King supports banning certain dog breeds, he understands not all pit bulls or German shepherds are bad. In his opinion, a dog can be raised well by socializing with others.
“I have a neighbour who has a big dog, and she never walks it or doesn’t take it anywhere, and that dog has become aggressive because it’s isolated and it’s not around other dogs ever.”
Meanwhile, dog owner Vic Kohut feels banning breeds isn’t necessary, but he emphasized that dog owners need to take more responsibility.
Kohut’s dog once got into a dispute with a German shepherd pup over a ball. The pup eventually started to attack Kohut’s dog, while its owner was on the other side of the park.
“I told the owner to go read the sign and tell her you’ve got to be in control of your puppy all the time.”
Another question in the survey asks if the city should limit the number of animals an individual can own. Both Kohut and King agreed with limiting pet ownership, but questioned how the city could track this.
The survey is open to residents until Oct. 3. Along with the survey, the city is currently conducting feedback with stakeholders and groups on the bylaw. A report will then be presented to city council in November.
Last week at city hall, Mayor Chad Bachynski was asked about some of the negative response to the survey.
“I would say … it’s a good survey that we’ve put out, in the sense that we’re looking for that feedback,” Bachynski said.
“We’re trying to understand what’s working, what’s not. We know there’s been some challenging things that have happened in our community, and incidents, and we know that that bylaw hasn’t been updated for a long, long time. So… this is overdue. I’m happy to see it moving forward, so we collect community feedback, and ultimately, we make these updates that keep our community safe.”
With files from John Cairns.
Comments