A Lethbridge County woman is pleading with council to allow her to keep her six dogs, after being told she was in violation of long-standing bylaws.
After living in the county for two years, Lynn Doratty says she’s afraid she won’t be able to keep some of her dogs, most of which are rescue dogs, one belonging to her daughter.
Doratty says she was unaware of the county’s bylaws, which allow only two dogs over the age of three months in one household.
Residents can apply for a “Dog Fanciers license” which allows up to four dogs, but they must either be purebred or registered, primarily for the use of breeding or showing, and must be in a residence at least 1,000 feet away from the nearest neighbour.
“We are all within 1,000 feet – yes, we have acreages, but we can’t comply with that because we are in close proximity,” Doratty said.
A recent noise complaint against Doratty resulted in a phone call from a peace officer who told her she was violating the bylaws.
The county is looking into revising the legislation after several nuisance complaints throughout the county.
“Other people do have sheep or goats or things like that. If your dog gets out and chases one of them and they go through the barbed-wire fence or something like that, you end up having to take that animal to a vet or put it down because it was badly hurt,” Lethbridge County Reeve Lorne Hickey said. “That’s primarily why we are looking into this.”
Hickey can’t say whether any changes will be approved.
“You might be grandfathered in, or once those animals are gone or you sell them off, whatever the case is, you may not be able to replace to that number,” Hickey said.
For now, Doratty says she’s confined her dogs to a smaller area and hopes new bylaws will let her keep all six.
The issue will be back up for discussion at council’s next meeting on March 16.
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