Dog tethering to continue in Kamloops

UPDATE — The length of time dogs are tethered in Kamloops will continue to be left up to owners.

City council today (Tuesday) rejected a proposal to research the issue of tethering after receiving a letter from resident Claudine Sleik asking that it look into adopting a bylaw similar to that of other cities that restricts the length of time a dog can be kept on a chain or line.

Coun. Denis Walsh moved that staff look into the issue and he got some support from Coun. Deiter Dudy but there was little interest on the part of other councillors, who took an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach.

“I’ve never had one phone call about a tethered dog,” said Coun. Marg Spina.

“I’ll wait to see if it becomes a big issue but at this point I don’t think it’s something we should take time on,” said Coun. Arjun Singh.

And Coun. Ken Christian said tethering is “hard to define” and it would cost money to enforce.

Those views appeared to reflect those of bylaws enforcement manager John Wilson, who said, “I don’t support following the model bylaw of the SPCA… To be quite frank, it’s painted with a very wide brush that tethering is cruel and it is not.”

He said tethering for short periods is acceptable and “we have to find a balance there.”

Coun. Tiny Lange focused on making dog owners pay more for bylaw enforcement.

“I’m not in favour of bylaws on dogs until we really, hugely, increase the fine structure,” she said.  “As a taxpayer I don’t want to pay any more for dog problems. I think this has to be a self-funded utility where dog owners pay whatever it takes to look after them.”

“Charge them big time.”

NEWS/ CITY HALL — Dogs will have a little more freedom if Kamloops City council agrees with an animal-rights advocate that the permanent chaining of dogs is a cruel practice that should be banned.

Claudine Sleik wants council to put limits on how long a dog can be chained, saying Kamloops should adopt bylaws already in place in several other municipalities.

Between 2012 and 2014, 14 municipalities and two regional districts have put restrictions on tethering dogs. Central Okanagan Regional District, Capital Regional District, Surrey, Terrace, Harrison Hot Springs and Squamish are among local governments that have done it.

Surrey ruled out a complete ban on tethering but now bans doing it for more than four hours. Delta has a similar limit, while Burnaby’s limit is one hour.

Lions Bay and New Westminster don’t allow any tethering of unattended dogs.

“Councils across British Columbia are continuing to adopt compassionate bylaws that promote human responsibility and animal wellbeing,” says B.C. SPCA Facebook page.

And, on its website, the SPCA describes the tethering of dogs as “passive cruelty, neglect and ignorance,” and can cause “immense psychological damage.”

“These are all terms that can be used to describe the act of leaving a dog on a rope or chain, or even in a yard alone and isolate, for long periods,” the SPCA says.

The website says dogs need the companionship and socialization. “Banishing them to life on a chain is cruel and dangerous,” it says, adding that chained dogs can become fearful, aggressive, anxious and desperate.