Mountain View County (MVC) councillors have reviewed proposed amendments to the municipalities' dog control bylaw, changes that include new provisions regarding livestock guardian dogs and new higher fines for violators.
Under the draft bylaw amendments livestock guardian dogs would be described as: “A dog that has primary purpose of living with livestock and protecting livestock from predation. Livestock guardian dogs do not include pets or dogs used for herding livestock.”
The amended bylaw would describe livestock as cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goats, horses, game and similar animals.
The current bylaw section 6(f) states that no person “who is the owner or keeper of any dog shall allow such a dog to bark or howl excessively or otherwise disturb any person.”
Under changes proposed, a livestock guardian dog working in “performance of its duties on agricultural parcels of ten acres or greater” may be exempt from 6(f) under certain conditions.
In determining if that animal is exempt, consideration would be given to the following: “Is the size and temperament of the dog suitable for predator control?”, “Is there demonstrated predation of stock or other animals in the area?”, “Are there livestock presented that reasonably need protection?” and “Are there reasonable, less intrusive means to control predation?”
During discussions at last week's meeting, councillors asked that a definition be added for agriculture guardian dogs that protect property.
Coun. Kevin Good said many grain farms in the county rely on dogs to protect cats that control mice.
Councillors also suggested a number of other changes to the draft amendments.
During last week's meeting, a petition signed by more than 75 MVC residents, many from the Sundre area, was presented to council.
It calls on county council to “relook at and amend the current dog control bylaw so that working protection and herding livestock dogs are exempt (from 6(f)) and can continue to do their jobs for ranchers/farmers across this county without concern.”
More than 40 Water Valley area residents signed a similar petition with the same reading. That petition was presented to council last month.
MVC residents Rick and Valerie Hoogenboom, who own working dogs, wrote a letter to council regarding the matter.
“I am in full trust that you as council will do your best for the ranchers and their working dogs as we need our dogs to protect our livestock,” they said. “We live in a very over-populated wildlife area, which includes bears and cougars, wolves and of course coyotes. Working dogs do bark. This is how they scare wildlife away or get ranchers' attention if they need help.”
During last week's meeting, Val Hoogenboom reiterated her comments and said the amended bylaw should also include agricultural guardian dogs.
Proposed amendments also include the following increases in penalties for violations: vicious/restricted dog chasing a person from $600 to $1,000; a vicious/restricted dog biting or injuring a person from $1,000 to $1,500; having a vicious/restricted dog not properly muzzled, harnessed, leashed, controlled from $250 to $500.
Councillors instructed administration to bring the updated draft bylaw back to the policies and priorities meeting on April 3 for further consideration.
