By Mark Squibb
The City of Mount Pearl is expanding its animal control regulations to give animal control officers and municipal enforcement officers the authority to impound animals captured or otherwise secured by residents, except in cases where the animal is located within a private residence.
Councillor Isabelle Fry made a notice of motion to that effect during the October 27 public meeting.
“We had some concerns by residents this summer that staff would not collect an animal if the resident had them confined,” said Fry. “This is an amendment to change that, so that our animal control officer will indeed come and collect them.”
Following Fry’s notice of motion, an official motion will be brought to the council table for a vote, likely within the next month or so.
Speaking after the meeting, Mayor Dave Aker said council is in support of the motion.
“You’re likely returning a dog, at the end of the day, to it’s rightful owner,” said Aker. “You may also be taking a nuisance pet off the streets. We just want our staff to have policy authority if they are asked to do that.”
In recent months, police have reported a number of dog attacks across the province, including a report of an aggressive dog on the loose in Mount Pearl on October 17. Back in January, police shot and killed two dogs in Pouch Cove after four people were attacked by the animals.
Aker said the notice of motion was not driven by those recent incidents.
“People are concerned that stray animals are not being returned to their owner expeditiously,” said Aker. “My concern, and the concern of my colleagues, is that we want to get any stary animal off the road. But no, it has nothing to do with those acts at all. That’s another quagmire.”
Prior to 2019, the regulations stated that “any animal found damaging or destroying private property may be seized by an injuriously affected person or persons and held for collection by an impounder.”
In 2019 the City amened the regulations to state “an animal control officer may seize and impound any animal found at large.”
Briefing notes prepared by the City indicate the amendment could result in increased operational costs due to an increase in staffing and overtime for care of impounded animals.