Flin Flon city council is looking to add more voices to the contentious process of deciding whether a dog is dangerous or must be euthanized.
The news comes after Mayor Cal Huntley reviewed a letter from concerned citizen Angela Simpson, the victim of a vicious dog attack last summer.
“I think we agree, more or less, with what she said in her letter…and we’re looking at what the format might be to expand the role so it’s not just one person responsible to make those tough decisions,” he said at Tuesday’s city council meeting. “We’re not sure whether it’s going to be an internal addition or whether we would engage the community. That’s the part that we’re working on right now.”
Under the current bylaw, the city’s chief licence inspector may hold a hearing to determine whether a dog is dangerous if the inspector “has reason to believe that [it] has caused or is likely to cause serious damage or injury.”
If a dog is declared dangerous, the inspector can further declare the animal be euthanized if it “poses an unacceptable risk of recurrent aggressive conduct” or if it has caused injuries or deaths to humans or animals that are “so severe in character, or so numerous that it would be inappropriate to allow the animal to live.”
While Huntley mentioned Simpson’s letter, he said it was not received in time for inclusion on the council meeting agenda and would be included at the next meeting.
Simpson appeared before council in October, saying she had spoken with numerous residents who had suffered serious dog bites only to see the canine neither deemed dangerous nor euthanized.
She said she favoured an animal-control bylaw that is “a little more black and white” and does not see an individual or committee make a decision some might view as “biased” or subjective.
Simpson had to be flown to Winnipeg in June after suffering serious injury in a dog attack involving two canines.
At the time she was in the backyard of a Centennial Crescent residence for her job as a Manitoba Hydro meter reader.
While one dog involved in the incident was put down, Simpson indicated she was unsure why the city chose not to deem the second dog dangerous.
Seniors’ housing
Huntley said the city is interested in partnering with private groups or businesses to potentially build more seniors’ housing units in Flin Flon.
In terms of provincial support for such an initiative, he said council will wait to see which party wins the April election before putting “a lot of energy into this.”
“We’ve made the present government very aware that that’s a very important point for us in our community going forward,” Huntley said.
“We want people at all levels, seniors at all levels, to be able to stay in the community if they want to, in housing that is suitable to them.”
Huntley would not estimate how many additional seniors’ housing units are needed, saying he has only anecdotal information on the matter.
“But let me anecdotally say that we certainly do have an aging population in Flin Flon workforce-wise, and second and third generations,” he said. “I mean, my mom and dad are getting to the point where they’re looking for things like that, and all their friends, so it is coming, and has been coming for some time.”
Flin Flon MLA Clarence Pettersen announced last week that a new 20-unit seniors’ housing complex will be built at 4 Hemlock Drive, the former site of a low-income family housing facility.
Season’s greetings, warning
With Tuesday marking council’s final meeting of 2015, Huntley took the opportunity to wish the public a safe and happy holiday – and issue a warning about road conditions.
“I just wanted to wish, from mayor and council and all of management and city employees, a merry Christmas and a safe Christmas,” he said. “I think the best Christmas present you can get is having your family safe and with you during Christmas, so let’s make sure that everyone has a safe and happy, happy Christmas.
“I think given the conditions we’ve got road-wise, very important for people to drive accordingly. We have the boys out cleaning snow and all that kind of stuff, but you get a dump like [earlier this week] and these warm temperatures, and if you’re travelling at all, it’s a mess out there, so be very, very careful. We want Christmas and New Year’s to be a very happy one.”
