Leaders Accused Of Overreacting To Dog Mauling
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at 14:58
Some residents of Cumberland House are questioning a new policy regarding stray dogs in the community.
Any dog in the reserve or village that isn’t indoors or tied down is being destroyed.
Local leaders enacted the measure after a 5-year-old boy was mauled by stray dogs last week.
But a local mother of three — who refused to be identified — says dogs are being shot in people’s yards in front of children.
She also says there are times the community has sounded like a “war zone”, with shots being “heard everywhere”.
But, band chief Walter Sewap says most residents support this measure, and several were calling for action before last week’s tragedy.
Sewap says owners of dogs that are left untied in their yards are being warned to tie them up if they don’t want them destroyed.
And he says they’ve been given ample warning through announcements on the local radio station.
Sewap also says a bylaw on this issue will be drafted with the help of the RCMP.