D-day for the Perry Street Dogs

Well today is D-day for the Perry Street Dogs. This is the day the city comes back at us to make sure we have disposed of all our "extra" dogs. Now I ask you? What is an "extra" dog? Why does any city in Canada have the right to tell me how many dogs I am capable of caring for?

Down the street from our compound are two little terrier mixes. These dogs are out of control, they bark every time they are let out and disturb the neighbors at all hours with there incessant noise making. According to the city that is just fine however, they only have two dogs so their dogs can keep the neighborhood awake at all hours and no one says anything. Across the street lives a hound mix who is in love with his own voice, every time he is put out (at 5 in the morning I might add) he sings to the neighborhood dogs until he is brought in again. Needless to say no one on our street who owns a dog gets any sleep past 5 in the morning. We do, our dogs have been trained to ignore the howling of the hound across the way. As a matter of fact we train our dogs to ignore any barking dog in the neighborhood. We are conscientious dog parents who do not allow our dogs to disturb the peaceful enjoyment of their homes. Our dogs are not permitted to bark uncontrollably, and as a matter of fact are brought back in to the house if they are too loud. Our yard waste is removed every two days, daily if necessary, and our dogs are NEVER left in our yard unsupervised. As a matter of fact we monitor our dogs playtime the same as a human parent would monitor the play of a very small child. Rough behaviour and loud barking is corrected immediately.

Our dogs are vetted yearly, receive their shots and bordatella vaccines and are treated against fleas and heart worm. A dog without vaccinations is not allowed in our home for the safety of the rest of the pack, as well as any humans they may come in contact with. I know dog owners with one pet who are not so thorough, and have seen neighborhood dogs who have never seen a vet in their life. All of those dogs are "safe" according to the city bylaws, because there are only one or two per household. That brings me to the point I wish to make here, how can the city condone irresponsible dog ownership, merely because the number of animals within a home is in keeping with the city bylaws? Were these laws not put in place to protect animals and ensure that they received proper care?

Shelters all over the county are full to capacity, dogs are being euthanized because homes can not be found for them, yet the city wants to place five of my dogs into the system because they say I have no right to keep them. I will not allow this to happen of course, I merely mention it to illustrate the point that their attitude makes no sense. Talk to my neighbors who will gladly tell you that as pet owners we are a joy to live next door to. I have one neighbor who is amazed on a daily basis when she looks out her window into my backyard, and sees all my dogs running and playing. Why is she so amazed? Simply because that although there are eight dogs running and playing in our yard, she can not hear them, she has to physically look through her window to know they are there. They are good dogs, we have respect for our neighbors, and no one should be able to take our furry children away from us.

We take our responsibility far more seriously than some people who keep only one pet. Yet our dogs are persecuted because the city says we have too many. Would someone also explain to me why it is legal in this city to keep 6 cats, but dog lovers are only allowed to keep three dogs. I like cats as much as the next person, but I am a dog lover, dogs are my pet of choice ( I have rescued cats too, but dogs are my passion.) For the privilege of being a dog lover I am penalized. My cat loving friends can own six animals, I am only allowed to keep three. How is that a fair bylaw? If you are going to regulate the ownership of animals there should be no distinction between cats or dogs, the numbers should be the same for both. Cat owners should not be more privileged than dog owners. Besides, the movement of cats is much more difficult to control than the movement of dogs.

People allow their cats to roam everywhere, but we generally keep an eye on our dogs, and do not let them roam free. Our dogs are controlled, they do not disturb the neighborhood. The same can not be said for my neighbors cats, whom are always roaming our property and relieving themselves in our driveway. (You don't see my neighbor following her cats with a stoop and scoop bag, I get to clean up my driveway after they have used it as a litter box.) If my dogs did that I would be fined for having an off leash animal, and not cleaning up after it, cats however are free to roam about the city destroying property as they go, and their owners are not held responsible.

Go after the woman walking the Great Dane on the beach and refusing to stoop and scoop, or the guy who lets his Rottweiler run around the city parks off leash. Stop wasting your time coming down on people who take their responsibilities as pet owners seriously, and go after the ones who do not license, sterilize, or vaccinate their pets. Leave my dogs alone, they are not hurting anyone, and they are safe and loved.

To my friends at Let's Adopt Global, I thank you for your support both in the past week as this situation has evolved, and in the future when we fight the city. Know that for now the Perry Street Dogs are safe, and that a fight is coming that we will need all your support on. In the coming weeks we will be challenging the bylaws, and at that time we will need the global support of Let's Adopt members. We beat the city of Halifax as a team and saved Brindi, now I am asking you to pull together for the Perry Street Dogs. Mysty, Bowser, Harley, Nakita, Samson, Pebbles, Diva, and Hercules need your help to keep their home. All of these dogs were thrown away by people who viewed them as disposable, they have found a home here with us, they are a family, our family, and the city has no right to break up a family.