SPCA 'shocked' by number of calls since tethering law introduced

The executive director of the New Brunswick SPCA, Hilary Howes, says he has been surprised by the high number of complaints received by the SPCA since dog tethering laws came into effect just over a year ago.

• New Brunswick prepares for ban on 24/7 dog tethering

• Dog tethering rules take a bite out of SPCA budget

• 79 dog tethering complaints filed since new rules took effect

"We've been very busy in response. We've done over 400 tethering investigations," Howes said in an interview on Information Morning Moncton.

"We were expecting about half that number, I'm quite shocked by the number of people who were tethering their dogs overnight and some of the dogs you would never consider leaving outovernightyou know small dogs with minimal hair."

New Brunswick was the first province in Canada to bring in adog-tethering law onDec. 1, 2014, restrictingtethering between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. to 30 minutes or less.

Howes says the complaints have come from across the province, with "some concentration" in Gloucester County and in Charlotte County.

"The positive thing is that virtually everybody that we've approached about it has agreed to change how they tether their dogs. They'veagreed to take them in at night or they've built a pen with an adequate dog house so it's been very positive."

He says the colder months areby far the busiest time for complaints, with between 50 and 60 calls every month last winter. He addscalls are already starting to pick up this month with about 20 complaints in the past thirty days.

More fines expected

Howes says so far, the SPCA has been in an "education phase" andonly one fine has been issued.

"We suspect this winter we'll probably see the number of fines increase largely because we're going to move out of an education stage and into a real enforcement stage. People have had a year now to comply with the law." he said.

Howes explains that in order to comply with the law, pet-owners can only leave their dogs outside overnightif the dog is a breed that is able to withstand the weather andhas a pen that includes a well-built,insulated, waterproof doghouse that has straw on the floor.

The SPCA has received more than $40,000 from the provincial government to help enforce the new regulations.

"We are pleased to support theSPCA...to ensure that our collective efforts are increasing awareness and reducing the instances where dogs are left tethered," Environment and Local Government Minister Brian Kenny said in a statement.

Howes says provincial fundingcovered about 50 per cent of the tethering investigations that have been carried out.

Fines for people who do not comply with the rules start at $200.

Howes says the tethering law has put New Brunswick ahead of the rest of the country when it comes to animal protection, and complaintshavegradually decreasedas people become aware of their responsibilities.