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Advocates: Pet owner’s bylaw needs stronger teeth

By Joel Wittnebel.The Oshawa Express

Oshawa pet owners and advocates are once again calling on city hall to take action in protecting the municipality’s animals.

Despite sweeping changes to the Responsible Pet Owner’s bylaw last year, which included stringent regulations against leashing and tethering animals for lengthy periods of time, advocates are saying more needs to be done.

“We feel it has opened up some loose ends that need addressing,” says advocate Martin Field.

While the bylaw prohibits leashing or tethering an animal for longer than four hours, councillors were told some people are getting around this stipulation by constructing tiny pens to hold their dogs.

“It shouldn’t happen to man’s so-called best friend,” said advocate Kathy Green. “These dogs will continue to suffer in these poor conditions.”

Once again, the call was reiterated to adopt the stringent standards employed in Mississauga in relation to enclosures, dog houses and pens and prevent irresponsible pet owners from getting around the new bylaw.

For Field, he says “more stringent wording” in the bylaw is required, as having loose requirements “really undermines the whole process.”

Mayor John Henry suggested that perhaps more information would be required before councillors make any further decisions or changes to the bylaw.

“Based on the information…it would require a further report,” he said.

His motion to refer the the information back to staff for a further report carried unanimously.

 

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