Halifax council considers asking province to create dangerous dog registry

Two months after a Nova Scotia boy died in a dog attack, Halifax Regional Council is poised to vote on a plan aimed at keeping the province’s dangerous dogs on a shorter leash.

In Nova Scotia, municipalities are responsible for dog bylaws. The new plan, however, proposes pressing the provincial government to take on the role of keeping track of dangerous dogs.

Under the current rules, municipalities can impose such a designation, but there’s nothing stopping owners from avoiding sanctions like muzzle orders by simply moving to another municipality. That’s why the proposal, prepared by regional staff, recommends the province establish a centralized dangerous dog registry that would be open to all municipalities.

The registry would include a description and photo of the dog, information about its owner and restrictions imposed after the animal was deemed dangerous.

“A registry would allow municipalities to make more informed enforcement decisions … because they would be able to determine if the dogs involved have been designated as dangerous elsewhere in the province,” the proposal says.

“The act could require municipalities to enforce muzzle orders, or other safety measures imposed on dangerous dogs by other municipalities through a uniform provincial process.”

Coun. Trish Purdy, who asked for the staff report, said the municipalities are operating in silos when it comes to tracking dangerous dogs.

“We seem to have some gaps in the system,” she said in an interview Monday. “I’ve had several dog attacks in my district … and the common theme is that the victims do not feel supported … and the dog owners seem to get off quite easy.”

2:17 Calls grow for stronger animal ownership laws after deadly attack in N.S.

As well, the plan recommends the province introduce legislation that would allow municipalities to seize dogs without a warrant following a serious attack or when public safety is at risk. The staff report also recommends raising maximum fines under the region’s municipal bylaw to $10,000 from $5,000.

“People just feel like there’s no justice when it comes to dog attacks,” Purdy said. “It’s not taken seriously enough for the amount of damage, pain and fear that it causes the victim.”

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The plan, if approved by council on Tuesday, would start with Mayor Andy Filmore sending a letter outlining the proposals to Municipal Affairs Minister John MacDonald.

“Regional council has identified a need for municipalities to have greater abilities to address public safety concerns related to dangerous dogs,” the draft letter says.

The minister could not be immediately reached for comment Monday.

On Jan. 3, 13-year-old Drew Nickerson was riding his bike in rural Welshtown, N.S., when he was attacked by three dogs on a gravel road. The Grade 8 student died from his injuries four days later in a Halifax hospital.

The RCMP later confirmed the boy was attacked by a Rottweiler and two cane corsos, all of which were described as large dogs. All three dogs were euthanized.

At least two Nova Scotia municipalities have tried to ban certain dog breeds in recent years, but neither local government was able to enforce its bylaw. In 2019, a judge dismissed Clark’s Harbour’s order for a man to get rid of his therapy dog after a test confirmed it was a mix of five breeds, none of which was banned by the town. Earlier this year, a town official said the bylaw was still in place, but he said it was unlikely it would ever be enforced.

Meanwhile, the Municipality of the District of Guysborough used to ban certain breeds, but the ban was repealed in 2018 after council tried to order a resident to get rid of a dog.

Other Canadian jurisdictions, including Montreal and Edmonton, have given up on trying to ban certain breeds. Instead, they now focus on dealing with dogs showing bad behaviour. In Montreal, they are subject to stricter rules like evaluations and muzzling. As well, dogs over 20 kilograms must wear a halter or harness attached to the leash.

The Nova Scotia SPCA is opposed to “breed-specific legislation,” saying a lack of training and socialization is usually the root cause of bad behaviour.

Animal Justice, a national animal law advocacy non-profit, says there’s no evidence breed bans increase public safety.