In British Columbia, the Strata Property Act governs the relations between stratas and their owners/tenants. This law says very little about what a strata may or may not do in relation to pets. All it says is that if you live with a pet in a condominium at the time a pet prohibition/restriction is passed, you and your pet will be “grandfathered.”
Common problems between stratas and owners/tenants include demands to remove pets by a certain date, owners/tenants being targeted because of the size or breed of their dog (especially “pit bulls”), and certain pet owners being picked on while other pet owners in the building are left alone.
Section 8 of the BC Human Rights Code prohibits stratas from enforcing or applying their bylaws in a way that discriminates against a person based on, among other things, a disability.
In a recent decision of the BC Human Rights Tribunal, the Tribunal clarified the law correctly and progressively, when it ruled in favour of a young girl to keep her emotional support dog, despite the strata bylaws containing a pet prohibition.
It is up to the person claiming the disability to prove that (a) they have a disability and (b) not having her companion animal would have a negative effect on her because of that disability.
In order to prove a disability, it is critical to have a doctor’s report confirming the disability and explaining what that disability entails. The individual’s own testimony about their disability is also considered.
It is also critical to have a doctor’s report that confirms that keeping the emotional support animal can, and does, improve the individual’s disability. It is also a good idea to have the doctor explain how the animal helps with the disability (for instance, reducing stress or blood pressure). The individual’s testimony about how important the animal is to them is also important.
It is then up to the strata to raise a defence that shows there is a reasonable justification to impose the pet prohibition, despite any negative impact on the individual.
The bad news is that pets are still considered chattel (i.e., property). The good news is that even though pets are “property,” Tribunals and Courts are recognizing that pets are a special kind of property.
In the context of condominium living, courts have recognized that the law and societal attitudes have evolved to give rise to new concepts as to what are reasonable rules for community living and to a greater appreciation as to how pets can appropriately fit into a close-knit community.
Some people believe that they are entitled to buy into a pet-free environment and that it is reasonable to expect every purchaser to obey those rules, including a rule that prohibits pets entirely.
Courts have recognized that life, particularly in today’s society, is not always that simple. There may be changes in circumstances of unit owners wherein it might be reasonable for them to keep a pet. A person becomes older and may lose a spouse, and for the first time in his life, he is living alone. Should that person be forced to give up his condominium if he tries to avoid depression or loneliness by acquiring a four-legged companion? Or a unit owner may have an accident or illness and becomes housebound or wheelchair-bound and, at that time, begins to feel a need for comfort that can be provided by a companion animal. Should this person be penalized for now having a companion animal?
Supporters of pet prohibition bylaws also rely on the allergies argument (i.e., some people are allergic to pets). This argument can be met by reasonable restrictions rather than by an outright prohibition. This is particularly true where the ventilation system is a modern one that precludes the spread of antigens from one unit to another, or when the animal has not interfered with the use or enjoyment of others in the condominium complex – all of which has been recognized by courts.
Another issue a person should consider when faced with a strata problem about their companion animal is whether the strata board followed its own bylaws when deciding what action to take against the pet owner. Review the bylaws to see what type of procedures the strata board must follow. Were minutes of the meeting taken? Was there the appropriate quorum when making the decision in relation to the “accused” pet? Was the vote recorded? Courts can strike down a strata’s decision based on procedural grounds, such as a strata board not abiding by its own bylaws.
Pet owners also wonder about meeting with the strata board to give their side of the story. Sometimes it is best to wait to be invited to speak to the strata board – either in writing or attendance at a meeting. According to the Strata Property Act, a strata board must give the owner or tenant the particulars of the complaint, in writing, and a reasonable opportunity to answer the complaint, before imposing a fine or requiring a person to remedy a contravention (i.e., removal of a companion animal). Otherwise, a court may set aside the strata board’s decision.
The bottom line is that companion animals are part of the family. A strata owner and/or tenant should familiarize themselves with the strata bylaws before they move into the condominium. If there is a total pet prohibition or a breed-specific restriction, consider whether moving into such a community would be the right fit for you and your beloved furry companion.
Pets Provide Companionship. Consider Adopting a Pet Who Needs You
Recent news reports featured rows of empty kennels at animal shelters, telling of more happy endings for homeless animals. Adoptions have definitely increased while homebound Americans seek pets to help them deal with isolation and stress.
Pictured here is rescue dog Charcoal (now named Coal) who was recently adopted from Loving All Animals by CeCe Campbell and Janet Hardie. While you can’t see the women’s smiles behind their masks, Charcoal beamed joyfully at getting his second “second chance” home.
Campbell was the good samaritan who first found this pup running loose in the streets. The couple brought him to Loving All Animals, as they already had one dog and Hardie was still working full time. Charcoal was eventually adopted by another family, but sadly returned. Campbell often thought about the little guy, wondering if he might become available again; periodically, she checked Petfinder. It was serendipity when one day she saw him and immediately called to adopt. Hardie was now retired, and their 8-year-old dog, Sugar, was thrilled. Campbell reports, “Having a second dog keeps us all more active. It brings us renewed happiness to see how happy and active Sugar has become with a playmate. The four of us take more walks and have more playtime.”
“During this difficult time, Loving All Animals is managing to still find homes for dog lovers,” says Tracy Habijanac, one of the organization’s managers. “We have people with time on their hands, and it couldn’t be a better time to care for and love a pet. This is the perfect time to acclimate the doggies to their new environment before people go back to work.”
In these dark times of uncertainty, millions of people need relief from anxiety, depression and loneliness. At the same time, we have millions of homeless pets languishing in shelters. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates approximately 3 million animals are euthanized in public shelters every year. Other homeless animals, abandoned or lost, roam our neighborhoods hungry and alone. These two separate problems, humans in need of companionship and comfort, and millions of animals in need of homes, can help ease the other.
Science has now proven what we animal lovers knew all along: Many studies indicate that the companionship of dogs and cats can lower blood pressure, reduce stress and improve both our mental and physical health.
Pets help us to stay in the present moment and push out invasive worries from our minds. Organizations such as Dogs for the Brave rescue dogs from shelters and train them as service dogs to help military veterans with PTSD, traumatic brain injury or military sexual trauma. Other service dogs alert their humans when they detect changes in the human body prior to an epileptic seizure. Heart attack patients with a cat or dog have a longer survival rate. Service dogs help people with chronic anxiety, enabling them to travel to work and stay calm.
Many of us have experienced the relaxing contentment that comes from having a purring cat sit on our laps. Now scientists have discovered one reason why cats keep us healthy and happy. Cats create purr vibrations with a range of 20 to 40 Hz, which is medically therapeutic for many illnesses. Their purring lowers stress, reduces the chance of heart attacks and reduces the symptoms of dyspnea, according to the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Neurology. Their playful antics and loving companionship provide respite from loneliness, depression and other psychological ailments.
Now is a great time to consider adopting a new furry family member. A comprehensive website promoting rescue pet adoption (petfinder.com) helps you find the specific type of pet you seek. Did you know that 25% of the animals in shelters are pure breeds?
Going Viral: Day 40 under COVID-19 Lockdown
As we all know from reading and listening about Covid-19 these past weeks, one of the big issues is trying to figure out who has it, who is capable of transmitting it, and where indeed the bugs for this virus might be lurking.
So, I was more than delighted to read that dogs might be able to sniff out coronavirus – just as they are trained to sniff out some cancers, those carrying drugs, or those trying to snuggle other contraband natural products.
I’m also a huge fan of service dogs having had one pooch, Bear, who was a rascal most of the time but once you put on her service vest, she would turn on the woof charm and was used in a seniors’ care home a couple of times week.
But I digress. Back to the development coming out of Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica, the French island in the Mediterranean Sea. There, dogs are being trained by the emergency services department and the local fire brigade to see if they can detect people who may be infected with coronavirus.
Firefighters in Ajaccio are doing this by using sweat samples from Covid-19 patients who have agreed to be part of the trial.
“Dogs are known for their capacity to recognise other diseases including cancers, such as breast and prostate cancers and even diabetes, although it has not been officially proven,” said Corporal Mar Anto Costa, a firefighter based in Ajaccio. “What remains to be proven is whether the Covid-19 molecule emits a particular odour.”
The samples are placed in particular places to see if the dogs can then detect them.
“It’s simply a plastic tube by which the smell is placed, leaving the smell-emitting molecules,” said Brice Leva, another Corsican firefighter. “And then, with these plastic tubes, we train the dogs.”
If this test is successful and the results are confirmed, it could allow rapid screening very effectively.
Another reason, I guess, why dogs are man’s best friend!
Veteran’s Service Dog Found Shot After Going Missing in Missoula
MISSOULA — Authorities are looking for answers about a veteran’s service dog that was found with multiple gunshots wounds after he went missing.
Missoula Animal Control received a call for what they initially thought to be a stray dog wandering around Cote Lane on Wednesday evening.
“But when he was picked up by the officer, she found that he was injured,” said Missoula County Animal Control Officer Cassidy Russell. “They ended up bringing him to Missoula Vet and discovered he had three gunshot wounds.”
The animal was shot once in the shoulder and twice to the head, even requiring surgery to remove a bullet from his face.
Fortunately, he’s microchipped, and Missoula Animal Control was able to locate the shelter where he had been adopted. They later learned that the dog, Lucca, is the service dog for a local veteran.
“He’s about two-years-old, he’s a German Shepherd, almost all black, and just the sweetest thing, really, through all of this he’s been so sweet and so loving. It’s amazing for what he’s been through that he still trusts everybody.”
Lucca will spend the next few days receiving follow up treatment for a remaining bullet lodged near his jaw. Animal Control is asking the community to come forward if they know any information regarding the circumstances leading to Lucca’s injuries.
“He went missing around 34th Street, and so he made it quite a ways away. We don’t know who did anything, we don’t know if someone took him from his home, we don’t know who shot him, we don’t know any of the circumstances, so if anyone has seen or heard of anything that can give us some insight then we can follow up on it,” said Russell.
Animal Control is also asking the community to help with Lucca’svet bills.
Can’t Wait To See Her Grow
PLATTSBURGH — About a month ago grad student Emily Anderson drove downstate to pick up pup Paisley Mae and experienced her first-ever moments as a dog mom.
While the SUNY Plattsburgh student, going for her masters in education, thought some considered pet parents to be more like owners, she disagreed.
“I’ve always thought, ‘I love puppies. I wish they could stay small forever,'” the 23-year-old said. “But, as soon as we picked up Paisley, the first thing I thought was, ‘I can’t wait to see her grow. I can’t wait to see her get bigger, to see what she looks like and what she likes.’
“It was a total ‘mom’ moment.”
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Anderson and boyfriend Joseph “Joe” Girard picked up the Australian Shepherd from a farm in Fultonville.
The now nearly three-month-old puppy became Anderson’s first personal pet.
“The reason I decided to get a dog now was because Paisley is actually an emotional support animal for me,” she said.
“It’s been a long time coming, working through different things, personal things, but especially given the current situation that we’re in,” she continued, in reference to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s hitting a lot of us in different ways.”
‘NOW IS THE TIME’
To Anderson, who will celebrate her 24th birthday later this month, caring for a pooch was a way to bring purpose and joy.
“It definitely has,” she said. “It’s her job and she’s doing a great job at it.”
And with the pandemic keeping her self-quarantined and at home more often than not, Anderson felt like “everything was coming together.”
“I’ve talked to my parents about potentially having an emotional support animal in the past, but they just didn’t think it was the time,” she said.
“My mom and I had recently been speaking together and she said, ‘You know what, Em? I think now is the time.'”
PAISLEY MAE
The Australian Shepherd was described as playful, friendly and high-energy.
“She always wants to be doing something,” Anderson said.
“We have to make sure that we keep her exercised or else she’s crazy. We got her all of these rubber toys, but when she got home, all she wanted to do was play with rope tassels,” she continued.
“So, we went out and got her a bunch of rope toys — which she loves.”
Anderson said the baby pup was very food-motivated, “which is awesome. We can use tiny pieces of treats to train her and she will do absolutely anything you ask.”
While staying home was helpful when training Paisley, Anderson said they were teaching her how to be alone, too, for when life returned to normal.
“We work on her going into her kennel every day and spending some time alone,” she said.
“Originally, I wasn’t going to look for a puppy, but then I thought, this might be the only time in my life where I could have a puppy.”
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
Anderson said puppy life came with its own set of challenges, like getting up early, cleaning up after accidents and puppy biting, but thought the biggest challenge was on the human side of things.
“It has been on the emotional-support-animal end, and being a little misunderstood about that,” she said.
“That part has been a little challenging, because I think mental health overall is misunderstood.”
The grad student explained emotional support pets as one of many outlets that could help people feel at their best.
“For some people it’s medicine, or therapy and, for some people, it can be taking care of an animal,” she said.
“If you don’t have that connection with animals, then you might not understand it, but it’s definitely there for other people. Regardless of what level someone is at, if there’s anything that they can do to make them feel better, I don’t see how there is any reason for us to want to stop that.”
‘REALLY REWARDING’
With her first Mother’s Day on the horizon, Anderson said her Paisley Mae was 100 percent her “baby.”
“She has all of the needs of a baby, and, much like a baby, she has the rewards, too,” she said.
“Overall, it has just been a really rewarding experience. I need her just as much as she needs me.”
Service Dogs Raising Puppies
Susan Tyson is a long time volunteer with Susquehanna Service Dogs and has raised a lot of litters for the nonprofit that assist people with disabilities.
“Two girls and four boys and they’re a little bit noisy sometimes and they are growing very normal and healthy, they are about 4 pounds they started out at one pound and they are making progress leaps and bounds,” Tyson said. “So with the crisis, we are having I thought all the people sitting around twiddling their thumbs maybe we can entertain them and teach them something.”
Each day at 1 p.m. she talks about the litter and the journey these puppies are taking to become service dogs.
“I just talk about the development of the puppies what they are doing and how what we are doing connects to a better service dog,” Tyson said.
“I think it is so great for people to engage that way and they feel like they are so much part of the process and Susan gives so much information, education and not just talking about SSD but about the development of dogs. It helps people learn about us, our organization, and the importance of service dogs how they can help people live a much fuller and independent life,” Deb Tack, Partner Coordinator with Susquehanna Service Dogs said.
SSD is always looking for puppy raisers, sitters, and financial support. It takes about 18 months and $30,000 to turn a puppy in an assistance dog.
“These dogs change people’s lives,” Tyson said.
Service Dog Lends An Ear
When Newport Beach resident Lisa Westerhout goes out in public, there’s only one thing that sets her apart from the denizens around her — a 3-year-old Golden/Labrador Retriever mix named Arrow, who sports a blue vest emblazoned with a gold logo.
Canine Companions for Independence, it reads.
It’s not a fashion statement so much as an indication to the general public that the dog, while adorable, is performing an important job.
Arrow was raised and trained from puppyhood by the Santa Rosa nonprofit Canine Companions for Independence and is one of 268 active hearing service dogs capable of alerting a deaf person to important sounds in their environment, from a crying baby to a smoke alarm to the ring of a cell phone.
His set of capabilities is a lifeline to Westerhout, 48, whose hearing loss began when she was in the third grade and got progressively worse until she was almost totally deaf.
“If I were to stand next to a jet engine, I would barely hear it,” she said of her natural hearing.
Although she’s been fitted with high-powered hearing aids and a cochlear implant — which bypasses a damaged ear to send signals directly to the hearing center of the brain — the devices can be cumbersome and difficult to sleep in. Arrow lets Westerhout be free of that, and more.
He’ll nudge her if he hears one of her children call out her name from downstairs, or if her cell phone is on vibrate but not directly on her person. She takes him to Costa Mesa’s Waldorf School of Orange County, where she is a counselor, and brings him on trips.
If she’s cooking meatballs, Arrow will even remind her to set the timer.
“He’s so extremely good at his job,” Westerhout said. “He’s very, very observant.”
Arrow’s keen responses are the result of more than 250 hours of training he’s received through Canine Companions for Independence, a group that provides service dogs to people with disabilities free of charge.
Puppies are bred for qualities and behaviors that will assist the dogs in their work, said CCI senior instructor Ken Reid, who oversees hearing dog training at the Santa Rosa location.
At around 8 weeks old, they are placed with raisers, who help socialize them and prepare them for up to nine months of training they will begin somewhere around 18 months of age.
“Puppies are returned to one of six training centers. That’s where the dog gets its next phase of professional training with an instructor,” Reid said. “Along the way we’ll start to see the dog’s individual strengths and weaknesses, so we’ll start to select them for specialized tracks.”
Canines learn skills specific to the individual they will serve — CCI trains companion dogs for children, adult disability service dogs, PTSD service dogs for veterans and hearing dogs like Arrow.
“These dogs help people become more independent and not have to rely on other people for the rest of their lives,” said CCI spokeswoman Stacy Haynes. “The end goal is to enhance the lives of people with disabilities.”
After dogs complete training, clients come for a two-week session to learn more about living with a service dog and be paired up with pooches who, in turn, learn customized tasks and commands before heading to their new homes.
Since Westerhout returned to Newport Beach with Arrow in late November, she’s been amazed at how well he executes commands and alerts her to sounds.
But, for her, another important function of a hearing dog is that they act as ambassadors to the public, opening the doors to conversations about what she calls her “invisible disability.”
“(Normally), people think you’re rude because you don’t respond to them. They think you’re not very smart because it takes you a while to piece together what they’re saying, or they think you’re crazy when you respond to them in a completely different way,” Westerhout said of the social difficulties often associated with hearing loss.
“Taking him out draws attention,” she said. “I get to talk to people and share about my invisible disability. It’s just life-changing.”
Mira The Police Dog
It is a long process for a puppy to become a fully trained police service dog, but Mira is well on her way already.
Mira started training with Const. Tom Peters of the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP last September, when she was just two months old.
Peters had completed a course on how to train police dogs at the national training centre in Innisfail, Alberta, where all RCMP dogs and handlers start their training. Then he brought Mira back to the Cowichan Valley for crate training, bonding and learning how to get along well in public.
“Then I started training with her that is specific to police duties,” Peters related. “I do basic stuff like teaching her how to track using food as a reward. She progresses to the point where she can track someone for about 100 metres.”
Peters had to make some sacrifices to work with Mira, but they have been worthwhile.
“I introduce her to aggression training, which is biting,” Peters said. “I do things like put on the big body suits and take bites. She is getting better at catching me now, which wasn’t so bad until she grew in her adult teeth.”
When Mira is around 18 months old, she will return to Innisfail to hone her skills, working with an experienced handler for training in specific tasks.
“The work that Const. Peters does right now with Mira gives her a strong base in order to help her later training be effective,” Const. Carlie McCann, the North Cowichan/Duncan detachment’s media relations officer explained. “If she passes all of her training, she will transfer to an RCMP police dog service unit somewhere in Canada.”
Mira can’t respond to a lot of calls right now, but nearby detachments in West Shore and Nanaimo have fully trained police dogs who are able to help with investigations like locating missing persons, break-and-enters, and weapons calls.
“If police on duty assess that a response from a police service dog is needed, their handlers can be reached day or night,” McCann noted.
Animal Welfare Groups
The Pandemic is taking a toll on the operations of animal welfare groups in Singapore as donations drop and fewer volunteers allowed on premises.
Social distancing measures and circuit breaker regulations have prevented groups from holding regular fundraisers and limited the number of volunteers who can care for the animals under their charge.
Ms Jessica Kwok, Group Director for Community Animal Management in the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) under the National Parks Board (NParks), told The Straits Times that a video conference would be held between the groups and the Ministry of National Development and NParks on Friday (May 8) to discuss the situation.
Minister for Social and Family Development and Second Minister for National Development Desmond Lee and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs and National Development Sun Xueling, along with representatives from NParks, will meet with the animal welfare groups (AWGs) “to better understand how they are coping during this challenging period”, said Ms Kwok.
She noted that as part of the Resilience Budget announced on March 26, animal welfare groups at The Animal Lodge received two months rental waiver.
The Animal Lodge is a purpose-built facility in Sungei Tengah. More than 20 animal shelters moved to the facility from Pasir Ris Farmway in 2018.
Ms Kwok said NParks took over direct management of The Animal Lodge in December, reducing the service and conservancy charges significantly. Installing directional signages has also improved navigation on site, and planting shade-providing trees has cooled the premises and enhanced greenery.
“We are continuing to work on more infrastructural improvements and these will be shared when ready,” said Ms Kwok.
Ms Mary Soo, 72, founder of Oasis Second Chance Animal Shelter (Oscas), said the rental waiver for April and May, helped her save on the monthly rental cost of $7,000 for Oscas’ five units in Sungei Tengah.
“Finance is a big problem,” she told The Straits Times. “For us, we tend to have many handicapped and senior dogs, so a lot of our money is spent on medical or vet bills.”
Donations to Oscas have dropped substantially. Big donors have disappeared as they were also facing problems, with businesses shutting down due to the poor economy, said Ms Soo.
Oscas’ sponsorship programme, in which people pay a minimum of $50 to fund a dog’s upkeep, has also seen fewer new sign-ups. The programme typically brings in between $3,000 and $4,000 a month for the group.
Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD) president Ricky Yeo, 52, said that his group used to hold one or two events a month to generate publicity and collect donations. However, all outdoor events are currently suspended, and ASD has lost around $6,000 in donations.
His group has now tied up with local brewery RedDot Brewhouse to raise funds. “Pictures of the dogs that are up for adoption are printed on their beer labels, and we get a percentage of the proceeds. The first run of the campaign which kicked off in late-February was sold out, and they are doing a second one.”
Mr Derrick Tan, 39, founder of Voices For Animals (VFA), said that its donations too have dipped. The group usually raised funds mainly through adoption fees during adoption drives. The last one was held in December.
“Each adoption fee is $250 and during a good drive we can see between 15 to 20 dogs adopted. During the adoption drives, we also sell things like cookies and drinks. So it’s these small things that add up,” said Mr Tan.
He said the money collected goes to VFA’s monthly rental of about $4,000, and vet bills for the dogs average about $10,000.
AVS under NParks has also been helping the groups with adoption efforts.
“As animal shelters have limited capacities, cessation of adoption and rehoming efforts hinder their ability to take in more rescued animals and could cause overcrowding. Long-term housing of an animal in a shelter environment is also detrimental to the animal’s health and welfare,” said Ms Kwok.
She said NParks has made arrangements to let the groups carry out rehoming, adoption or fostering of their animals remotely during this period with no physical interaction, such as through video calls. Once the adoption or fostering has been agreed upon, the animals are transported using an approved pet transporter or by the animal welfare group itself, with safe distancing measures observed.
But some, like Ms Soo, believe online adoption is not practical.
She said: “We want people to meet the dogs and choose the dogs and ensure they are a good match. Can’t be that they just choose online, then we arrange for the dog to be sent over. We have to properly check the house to ensure it is suitable, such as if it’s dog-proof.”
Ms Soo has also spoken of the lack of manpower, noting that she usually had about 50 volunteers. During the circuit breaker period, however, only 11 are registered and allowed to enter the premises for tasks such as exercising the dogs, cleaning the kennels or sending them to the vet.
The restriction on the number of manpower allowed on site is a problem for Mr Yeo as he now has to stagger the times ASD’s seven registered volunteers can go down to the shelter.
“We understand it is necessary and we need to be on board with everyone else for this period, that’s why painful and challenging as it is, we are still complying,” he said.
RCMP Police Dog
A 27-year-old man whose vehicle had struck a RNC patrol car in St. John’s and fled the city Wednesday afternoon was found by the RCMP police dog service hiding in the bushes near Cape Broyle on the southern shore about three hours later.
Clarence Cantwell was arrested and is facing a number of charges including assault with a weapon, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, assaulting a peace officer, obstruction of justice and breach of probation.
About 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, the RNC in St. John’s received a report of a suspected impaired driver on Waterford Bridge Road.
The RNC patrolled the area and located the vehicle, a two-door older model burgundy Lincoln Mark Vii, parked on a parking lot off Waterford Bridge Road. As police pulled into the parking lot, a man got out of the vehicle, spoke briefly to the officer, got back in his vehicle and fled the scene at a high rate of speed, striking the police car and leaving it inoperable.
The suspect’s Lincoln was last seen heading west-bound on Waterford Bridge Road.
The RNC confirmed the driver of the Lincoln was Clarence Cantwell and notified the RCMP of the situation, while police continued to patrol the City of St. John’s searching for Cantwell and the Lincoln.
At approximately 4:30 p.m., Ferryland RCMP received a report of a damaged older model burgundy Lincoln, with smoke coming from underneath it, parked at the Ultramar in Cape Broyle.
A man matching the description provided by the RNC was seen walking away from the vehicle. Police confirmed this was the same vehicle that fled from the RNC.
RCMP officers from Ferryland and Holyrood traffic services, and police dog services, responded to the scene. At approximately 6:30 p.m., RCMP Police Service Dog Kaos located Cantwell hiding in some thick bushes at the end of Southside Road in Cape Broyle. He was arrested without further incident and turned over to the RNC.
Cantwell was scheduled for a court appearance Thursday.
Training Service Dogs
When Thatcher discovered the Ipswich-based Service Dog Project, Inc., she knew she had found a perfect fit for her passion — and helping others in need.
The organization is located on a farm surrounded by fields, where dogs run, play, and learn. Once trained, the dogs are matched with those who may need them in accomplishing basic tasks.
Preference for service dogs is given to military veterans, first responders, and their families, according to the organization’s website.
Thatcher recently shared her experiences of helping dogs — and helping them help humans. Service Dog Project breeds, trains and then donates great dane service dogs to people with balance and mobility challenges to assist them in achieving greater independence. George, one of our dogs, was named American Kennel Club’s Service Dog of the Year, along with his partner, 12-year-old Bella, in 2015. There are many tasks that I do at the farm. Duties range from cleaning kennels, walking dogs, scooping poop and the best part, caring for newborn pups and helping with their first learning experiences as they grow. There are often 60 dogs on the farm that need care as well as donkeys, goats and other animals. Time spent there is never dull! Seven years ago, I saw a post online that mentioned Explore had seven cameras on the farm with viewing 24 hours, seven days a week.
COVID-19 has changed Service Dog Project, as they have to comply with the rules set out by the state of Massachusetts.
What happened is, all of the youngest dogs needed to find temporary homes as caring for them while social distancing would be impossible. Twenty eight homes were found quickly; primarily with volunteers.
Chip is now part of my home and a big, happy pup of eight months old joining my own two dogs.
There is no better reward than seeing a dog you have known from birth grow to become an incredible partner for one who has mobility issues — no matter their age or needs.
Some share stories on our Facebook page, and I feel a sense of pride in reading them.
Many pairings return to the farm to visit, and it’s such a treat to see the bonds between dog and recipient. The dog is life-changing for recipients and their families.
Pets Providing Peace During The Pandemic
People and families throughout the region are continuing to adjust to a new normal of physical distancing guidelines, stay-at-home orders and other developments of the coronavirus pandemic. Since the global health crisis can cause added stress, some people are finding comfort in the companionship of their pets.
Marie Haigh, of Pottstown, homeschooled her three children before the pandemic so she didn’t have to adjust to virtual learning, but her family has found it challenging to adapt to the other circumstances caused by COVID-19.
“I’m used to hanging out with my kids all day. This part is true but the whole not being able to do our normal round of going out to field trips, just getting out of the house, and visiting friends, that part of it has been hard,” Haigh said.
She said except for her 5-year-old son Malcom, who is a homebody, the rest of the family has found it necessary to spend time outside of the house and in nature. Haigh’s Golden Retriever named Clover has been a motivator when it comes to getting fresh air.
“She drags us outside, even on days when we’re like it’s raining and I don’t want to go out,” she said.
Haigh said once her family is outdoors, they are happy to enjoy time in nature.
“There’s just some days when we all just need a mental check and we just need to get out of the house. We just call it a health day,” she said.
Haigh said she and her children enjoy gardening in their yard but must venture throughout the neighborhood and area trails to do activities that require more room such as walking, running and cycling. The family often visits Pottstown Riverfront Park to use the Schuylkill River Trail.
“The trees are kind of overtop of you. It (the Schuylkill River Trail) is beautiful. You just feel more connected to nature and you just breathe deeper,” Haigh said.
Her dog Clover enjoys the regional trail as well and celebrated her eighth birthday there on March 15.
“In my mind I was thinking today is Clover’s birthday, so we have to do something for Clover. What would Clover want to do?” Marie said is how the family ended up on the trail for the celebration.
The family rode their bikes on the trail while Clover ran alongside them.
Haigh said Clover is also a comfort to the family inside their home.
“She just helps us to relax as well. We call her our lazy dog inside the house,” she said.
Haigh said Clover especially comforts her 9-year-old daughter Brooke. She said Brooke has found the restrictions particularly challenging because she doesn’t like to talk on the phone so she’s found it difficult to not be able to play with friends. Haigh said Clover allows her daughter to have a “constant friend” during this time.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that around 38 percent of households in the United States have one or more dogs.
“Dogs can have many positive effects on the lives of their owners. They influence social, emotional, and cognitive development in children, promote an active lifestyle, provide companionship, and have even been able to detect oncoming epileptic seizures or the presence of certain cancers,” states the CDC Website.
Jessie Wickersham, a veterinary emergency nurse who resides in Pottstown, owns two Pit Bull mixes. The dogs’ names are Meatball and Bubbles and Wickersham said her family loves them.
She said the pandemic has been difficult for her three-year-old son who doesn’t understand why their routine suddenly changed.
“Everything is weird. He can’t see his nana,” she said.
Wickersham said her dog Meatball has been her son’s “shadow” and the two are always snuggling together. She said her son appreciates the physical connection.
“Meatball loves him, and he can just snuggle right into him,” she said.
Dogs aren’t the only pets that Wickersham owns. She also has chickens and they provided comfort in a different way than the dogs. Wickersham said when grocery stores started running low on eggs, she was able to just go out to her coop. She has also made contactless door egg deliveries to her family in the area.
Audra Hammer Ross, of Pottstown, has two cats and two guinea pigs. The cats are Butterscratch and Peekaboo.
She said all her pets are getting more attention because everyone is at home all the time.
“Especially the guinea pigs because they’re in the cage all day and the girls are usually not home. They’ve been out of the cage playing a lot more and probably don’t know why they’re getting so much exercise,” Ross said.
Ross said her 9-year-old daughter Fiona has become more attached to the cats since spending more time at home. She said her daughter feeds the cats every day and it has helped them form a deeper connection.
“Peekaboo always comes right up to her in the morning,” Ross said.
Ross said another way the pets are helping her daughters during this time is by teaching them responsibility and giving their day structure. The girls have chores such as feeding the animals and cleaning up after them.
“It makes them feel a little more in control because they’re in charge of that,” Ross said.
The CDC website states that about 40 million U.S. households have pet cats.
Guide Dogs Need Your Help
THE Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind’s Guide Dog Day (Friday May 8th) enables the charity to raise much-needed funds and is a day to celebrate the difference dogs make to those who are vision-impaired and the families of children with autism who can lead more independent lives.
This year’s fundraising efforts have been taken online and to the airwaves with the charity urging the public on its social media platforms to donate what they can to lessen the impact of Covid-19 on its services.
The Covid-19 crisis has had a significant impact on the organisation.
All community fundraising cancelled since March and now on into the summer months against a background where it costs €5m per annum to run the charity and €53,000 to train one Guide Dog.
Ther are 35 Guide Dog clients currently awaiting services and 45 dogs are currently in training.
Cole The Deaf Dog
Celebrity chef Rachael Ray issued an invite to Cole the Deaf Dog suggesting he pup over to the studio and appear on her show.
Cole and his human sidekick, Chris Hannah, fired up the Colemobile. The duo headed to New York City to spread their message of acceptance, a mission they launched two years ago at Mennies Elementary School.
The show taped just before Thanksgiving, but its air date continues to get shuffled with breaking news broadcasts cutting into the daytime television viewing schedule, Hannah said.
The segment is tentatively scheduled to air at 2 p.m May 7 on WPVI Channel 6.
Hannah, a music teacher, adopted Cole from the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter. He said he didn’t see the puppy’s deafness as a disability.
He saw Cole’s possibilities.
Now a certified-therapy dog, Cole is a classroom regular and motivated Hannah’s 250 students to collaborate on a writing assignment.
They transformed Cole and Hannah’s deaf nephew, Kevin Guinan, into comic book superheroes who join forces to encourage all students to be kind and accepting of others.
It’s usually Cole providing the comfort, but he got to enjoy some of his own during the two-day trip that included a swanky over-night stay in a hotel.
Before taping the show, they took a walking tour of the city and visited Macy’s, where Hannah carried Cole up the escalator.
“About 200 people whipped out their cellphones,” Hannah said, noting Cole attracted attention.
Lil Bub And Beyond
Three weeks after Lil Bub died, her owner, Mike Bridavsky, sat disheveled in his recording studio listening to his audio archive of the cat’s meows, purrs, “chirpy purrs,” snorts, and snores. “No other cat makes sounds like that,” he said with unabashed pride. “There’s like, syllables and stuff.”
Bridavsky started building his collection of Lil Bub’s noises after adopting her from a feral litter near his home in Bloomington. The cat’s sounds have been used in stuffed animals and bobble-heads, and on a full-length electronic music LP record.
And that’s just a small part of Lil Bub’s legacy. During their eight years together, the cat and the man built a small empire. Bridavsky and his wife, Stacy, run an online store, manage endorsement deals, and produce a slew of Bub content. The Bub business gives work to friends and local artists, and a cut of all proceeds goes to Lil Bub’s Big Fund, a charity for special-needs pets.
Bridavsky was devastated after his best friend’s death. “I could not really believe it; I wasn’t ready for it yet,” he said, as he began to cry.
And amid the fresh grief, he faced a secondary crisis as well: what to do with the business and charity she inspired.
Loni Edwards, founder of The Dog Agency, sees pet influencers’ owners face this conundrum often — and she experienced it herself when her own celebrity pet, Chloe the Mini Frenchie, died in a veterinarian accident.
“Losing a pet is really hard whether it’s a pet influencer or just your personal fur-baby,” Edwards said at the agency’s New York headquarters. “When it’s a pet influencer, it has this added layer of — not only the emotional hurt — but also the financial hit, because you’re losing this business partner.”
But Edwards, who represents more than 150 pet influencers, said that for many owners, adopting another pet can be a way forward. “I think as long as the brand and the identity of the account stays consistent, it is possible to evolve.”
At PetCon, a star-studded pet expo where fans can meet their favorite famous pets, several of Edwards’ clients explained to us how they pulled off a postmortem pivot.
When blind therapy dog Smiley died, his owner Joanne George knew how to fill the void for his devoted audience. After a period of mourning, she adopted another dog with a vision impairment, Sunny, to take over the page. “Not for the social media aspect — I was good at it,” said George, a veterinary technician who rescued Smiley from a puppy mill.
Others, like Jessica Hatch of Gone to the Snow Dogs, have solved the problem by focusing their accounts on a pack rather than one animal. “It’s kind of like a lifestyle brand,” says Hatch, who has lost three of her huskies and adopted several more puppies over her brand’s 10 years.
But for Bridavsky, such a transition would be harder, if not impossible. Lil Bub was famous for her very unusual “perma-kitten” appearance, a result of feline dwarfism, and the hope and motivation she inspired among her fans. The cat’s outgoing personality and undaunted spirit in the face of her limited mobility was a tonic for many facing their own obstacles.
Many of the more than 75,000 comments on Bub’s Instagram memorial post are a testament to that. “She helped me persevere and push through tough times in a difficult relationship,” wrote Chanelclaire.co on Instagram. Another, candicemargo, commented that Bub “reminded me to keep going, to always stay kind, and that pure love does exist.” Flowerchildabbi said Bub inspired her to help special-needs animals.
“That’s, like, the whole spirit of Bub — to pay it forward,” Bridavsky said. “I didn’t know, ever, what to expect — how it would feel after she passed. But from the messages, people care about her even more now.”
So Bridavsky committed to keeping Bub’s memory alive through his business and charity. Now, he even has Bub-print face masks. “So BUB can protect you and others with her undeniable magic (and cuteness).”
Dog Training Needed
Spending time with pets can be a bright spot amid COVID-19 restrictions, and that may be keeping a local dog trainer busier than ever.
Paula Shupe, certified master canine trainer in Chilhowie, Virginia, said she gets two or three emails each day from people who report they have adopted dogs and puppies.
“Apparently, more people are looking to adopt a new pet during this time. So many families are quarantined at home and need something to do,” said Shupe.
“But people need to realize that owning a dog is a lifetime commitment — not just for the few months we’re sheltering in place during the pandemic.”
Gaining a reputation as a “dog whisperer” of sorts, Shupe has spent the past 20 years training dogs, from small Yorkies to large Great Danes.
There’s really not a dog that can’t be improved from the training methods by Shupe, who calls herself a “motivational trainer with a balanced approach.”
Shupe, who owns and operates Beyond Sit and Stay Professional Dog Training, may be the only certified master trainer in the region who offers obedience classes, private lessons and in-home training. Some of her clients travel as far away as North Carolina and Tennessee to study under Shupe, who seems to have an extraordinary ability to understand and interpret her canine friends.
Teresa Holden of Stickleyville, Virginia, drives more than an hour to attend Shupe’s obedience classes.
Holden, who owns two Dutch shepherds, learned about Shupe from her dog breeder when she needed her dog Kyra trained as a service dog. “We also took agility and fun classes just to help stimulate her.”
Her second dog, Sable, took the same beginning classes, followed by protection training and competitions. “Our dogs have done the whole gamut with Paula,” said the dog owner.
“We drive three hours round trip to train with Paula. I’ve seen her work with all breeds of dogs at every level. It’s definitely a gift. That’s the amazing thing about Paula. She will work with you and your dog at whatever level you are. That’s what makes her the master trainer that she is.”
Shupe provides training to pet owners, competition enthusiasts and law enforcement agencies. The current patrol K-9 for the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, named Navir, was a Belgian Malinois that Shupe raised and trained from a puppy.
Shupe said her classes book up quickly, especially since she is limiting her outdoor obedience classes to no more than 10 people and their dogs during the pandemic. Participants are advised to keep a 6-foot social distance from other class members.
Her next available series of six classes begins June 18. Classes meet once a week for one hour at a training area in Chilhowie.
With more than two decades of experience raising and training dogs, Shupe has an understanding of dog behavior and the ability to use a variety of different training techniques.
The trainer offers two levels of obedience classes: basic and off-leash. Basic training is the first step to familiarizing the dog to commands, such as sit, down, come, stay, heel, and gaining manners and socialization skills with other dogs.
Off-leash training is a more advanced approach with more polished results. The dog learns commands while not restricted by a leash, learning to overcome distractions during class time.
Training dogs is a way of life for Shupe, who is an evaluator for AKC Canine Good Citizen, a program that promotes responsible dog ownership, and Therapy Pets Unlimited Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring pet therapy to those in need.
The dog trainer grew up caring for a variety of small animals — dogs, cats and hamsters. After graduating from Abingdon High School, Shupe attended Tar Heel Canine Training, a full-service canine training kennel in Sanford, North Carolina, where she earned a certification as a master trainer.
She’s also a part-time deputy for the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office.
“But dog training is my love,” she insisted.
Of all the things she learned at the training kennel, Shupe said patience is one of the most important.
“Being patient is the secret,” she said. “And being able to help each owner. Everyone raises a dog differently.
“Teaching dogs is very simple. Teaching the owners is a whole different ballgame,” said Shupe.
“The animals can only do what we teach them. If we’re teaching wrong or we don’t teach at all, it falls back on us. Any dog can learn. It just depends on whether the owner wants to take the time and effort.”
During her obedience classes, Shupe addresses the dog owners.
“When I teach, I’m showing the owners the commands and how to follow through with them. I could work the dogs all day long, but when they go home, it won’t do any good unless the owners are consistent,” she said.
“Training is not magic. I don’t have magic pills to give the dogs. If the owners take the advice and stay consistent, it works great.”
Shupe said she doesn’t teach dogs by correction.
“If you yank on the dog to get him to sit down, that’s not fair to the dog because he doesn’t understand what ‘sit’ means. Once you see the dog understands what you’re asking and if it chooses to not follow through, then that’s a time for correction.”
Shupe advises people to choose dogs that best fit their lifestyles.
“Don’t pick a dog just because you like how it looks. Huskies are beautiful dogs, but they require a lot of exercise. They’re not happy living in an apartment.
“When you get a dog, start training it young. Don’t wait until the dog exhibits problems. If you start young, you’re teaching the rules right off the bat.”
Socialization for your dog is important, too, she said.
“With the coronavirus going on, that could be a big problem because a lot of people are under lockdown. But if you don’t get a dog around other dogs when they are young, they won’t properly learn how to socialize and interact.”
It’s safe to say Shupe and her husband, Jason Shupe, run a tight ship with their own five dogs. They have three Boston terriers, one Rottweiler and one German shepherd.
“Our dogs are our kids. We take them traveling with us a lot. Training dogs is like a hobby to me. It never feels like work,” Shupe said.
“I couldn’t ask for a better way to spend my days.
“I don’t look at the owners as my clients — the dogs are. I run into people 20 years later, and I can remember their dogs’ names, but I can’t remember the names of the owners,” she said with a laugh.
Retired Police Dog Gets New Wheels
Vinnie served his community as part of Dorset Police from September 2013 alongside his handler, PC Brendan Trent, playing a vital role in keeping peace and order on the streets of Dorset. Often just the sight of Vinnie, a German shepherd dog weighing an imposing 40 kilos, was enough to defuse potentially violent situations before they escalated, but unfortunately a medical condition forced him to retire in September 2018 after five, hard-working years on the force.
Earlier that year, after noticing some loss of coordination in Vinnie’s hind legs, PC Trent had him examined by veterinarians who suspected the presence of Degenerative Myelopathy, a progressive disease of the spinal cord that leads to total paralysis of the hind limbs. Sadly, this signalled the end of Vinnie’s time as a police dog.
Unfortunately, when police dogs retire the force can no longer support them financially. Their handlers will be given the option of keeping the dog, but in Vinnie’s case this wasn’t possible as PC Trent was to be assigned another police dog and continue working as a handler. It’s a plight common to many ex-service dogs, but thankfully a local family offered to adopt Vinnie and he began a brand new life as a family pet in October 2018.
Vinnie’s condition has continued to worsen but his new family, Dave and Cath Harfield and their kids James and Lizzie, have done everything they can to keep his health and quality of life at optimum levels. Since getting an official diagnosis of Degenerative Myelopathy in June last year, the Harfields have tried a number of treatments aimed at delaying Vinnie’s paralysis for as long as possible. These included stemcell therapy and steroid treatment from Stem Cell Vet UK along with hydrotherapy and physiotherapy from local specialist Pawseidon Hydrohub.
“Sadly, there’s no cure for Degenerative Myleopathy,” said Dave. “It’s all about delaying the onset and while the treatments we’ve pursued have helped Vinnie greatly, he recently reached a point where his lack of mobility was beginning to affect his quality of life. Despite his difficulties in moving around, Vinnie remains full of life and all the drive, determination and spirit of a working police dog is still there. So at the start of the year we decided to buy him a specialist dog wheelchair. It’s made a huge difference and it’s been quite emotional watching him enjoying all the things he used to love; like running on the beach, fetching sticks and even chasing the odd squirrel.”
Vinnie’s family were fortunate when it came to the cost of the medical treatment, with pet insurance paying the majority of vet bills that ran into thousands of pounds, but there was little provision for any help with his wheelchair. Thankfully Pawsome Pensions, an independent local organisation which helps retired police and fire dogs, stepped in with the kind offer of contributing to the cost.
Service Animals At Work
Keeping a six feet distance from others and stopping at a marked spot on the floor in lines for grocery store checkouts are behaviors that most of us are getting used to. But, they’re new tricks that you can’t teach seeing-eye dogs.
“There’s no way we can teach that,” Joan Markey with The Seeing Eye said. “The dogs are just taught to clear their owner around an obstacle, and sometimes those obstacles are people.”
The Seeing Eye is an organization that trains guide dogs, and they’re hoping to get a message out to the public, tasking the sighted population with helping guide dogs to navigate the new normal for their owners.
While social distancing can’t really change the way service animals work, it is changing the way some of them are trained.
“Normally they gain access as they get older, however with things being closed down here in Kentucky, it has put a little bit of restriction on where our dogs can go,” Samantha Kiewel with Wildcat Service Dogs said. “So, it does kind of restrict their socialization.”
That limits most of their training right now to things that can be done healthy at home.
But, it’s not all bad. The distance to stop the spread of COVID-19 is also reinforcing a rule many of us have a hard time with following, not petting service animals.
“You never want to distract a service animal from doing its task,” Cory Dahlkamp with Always Faithful Dog Training said. “So, right now, with people being socially distant, it’s kind of refreshing that everybody is staying six feet away because they’re worried about germs because that’s what they should be doing for people with service animals anyways.”
They’re behaviors for all of us to remember during the pandemic and after it’s over.
Chappie Checks In
Once a regular fixture in the newsroom and studio, our service puppy in training “Chappie” hasn’t been to work since mid March.
Channel 3’s Kathryn Daniel is raising Chappie for Canine Companions and he has been homebound during the COVID-19 crisis. She shares how she’s keeping him on track
with his training, much of which is mastered in public. Here’s her story in her words.
We call him “Happy Chappie”. Our 65 pound puppy just turned one and is three quarters way through his time with us.
So far, he’s mastered twenty five commands and needs to learn five more before November.
We used to practice mostly on the go, in stores, restaurants and on the job. I took Chappie almost everywhere with me so he had lots of “real world” experience and exposure.
Since that’s out for now, my husband Brion and I have turned to Brittney Clark. Clark has trained three working service dogs, with one more set to graduate soon.
Milly is latest puppy in training and Chappie’s very best friend. They’ll go to puppy college together in the fall. Clark said, “Milly is very high energy so she’s not getting as much brain power, as much thinking since we’ve been in quarantine so she’s been a little bored.”
Clark works hard to keep Milly’s mind and body busy. She laughed, “A lot of swimming, a lot of walks, a lot of play dates with Chappie.”
One way is the “Kibble Challenge”. It’s not a formal command, but a self-control exercise. To master it, they can’t make a move for the kibble on the floor or on their paws. That’s hard for a chow hound like Chappie, but he’s getting better.
Clark is also making common commands more complicated. “If she’s out in the yard and I say ‘sit’ it doesn’t matter where she is, I want her to sit there. I don’t want her to come to me, I want her to sit right where she’s at,” explained Clark.
Shelly Locke is the head trainer for the Southeast Region of Canine Companions, the non-profit Chappie and Milly belong to. Locke said to keep Chappie sharp, we need to work with him about thirty minutes a day. She elaborated, “Five minutes here, ten minutes there. Especially with a young puppy, even a year old, beyond would bore them out.”
Chappie has been housebound for about six weeks. I worry he might lose his public manners. Locke told me to not fret about that. She said, “I think once you are able to get back out into that routine he’s gonna fall right back into it.”
She suggested we ease him back into outings when the time is right and things are deemed safe to do so. “Maybe do a couple of short trips where you’re really focusing on him to see how he’s doing,” Locke advised
Locke cautioned us to just take it slow and not overwhelm him. That will not be not a problem for this laid back puppy, I’m the worry wart in our duo. In fact, Chappie is so calm I’ve wondered if he’s too relaxed to be a working dog.
Locke laughed and told me that shouldn’t be a problem. “Those slower moving, sluggish kind of Eeyore dogs sometimes make a really great service dog.”
Nationwide, Canine Companions has 400 service dogs ready to graduate and meet their teammate, but for now those matches are on hold for the time being.
Tomorrow morning we’ll share how they’re continuing their mission with all six campuses temporarily shut down across the country.
Watch Service Dogs Get Trained
Everyone could use a pick-me-up right about now, and something that makes even the darkest of souls smile? PUPPIES.
Canine Companions is a non-profit that trains puppies to eventually become service dogs for people with disabilities. They’re now featuring a YouTube channel that shows their baby dogs snuggling, eating, playing, sleeping, and all the other cute puppy things that puppies do. It’s available every day 10am-7pm.
