The New Brunswick government has unveiled new regulations aimed at preventing animal cruelty.
Animal rights activists are applauding the changes, especially new rules around dog tethering. The government is looking to ban round-the-clock tethering as well as overnight tethering.
“Personally, I would make the argument that that is animal cruelty,” says Tom Barrett, a dog owner who lives in Oromocto. “This is a rural community, but there is a limit to how long dogs should be outside.”
“It’s just not safe to have them tethered at night when there is nobody around and nobody to keep an eye on their status,” says Hilary Howes of the New Brunswick SPCA. “Or, if anyone is trying to steal them, or if there are animals around that might attack them.”
In recent years, animal rights groups and many dog owners have pressured the New Brunswick government to address tethering and other threats to the health and safety of animals.
Dog owner and kennel club member Cindi-Lee Campbell says the changes are in a step in the right direction.
“When I see a dog tied in someone’s front yard around a tree and you can see a little path going around the tree, it’s like people, why do you have this dog?” says Campbell.
The new rules will also allow protection officers to intervene if an animal’s health is in danger while being confined in a hot car.
Dog owners will also face increased fines if they do not get their pet vaccinated against rabies.
“These are real issues, especially for the folks down in the St. Stephen area right now, where they’ve had a couple of recent rabies incidents including involving children,” says Howes. “You don’t want your kids needing rabies shots, so get your dogs inoculated.”
The New Brunswick government is looking for public feedback on the proposed changes.
A government spokesman says that because they are regulatory changes with an existing piece of legislation, they will not need approval of the legislature this fall.
The new rules are set to come into effect Dec. 1.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Mike Cameron
