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Home My WebLink AboutCS-36-95THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON Subject: ANIMAL CONTROL PROCEDURES /STAFF TRAINING Recommendations: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report CS -36 -95 be received for information. 1.0 BACKGROUND: 1.1 During the May 8, 1995 Council meeting, Council passed Resolution #C- 357 -95 directing staff to conduct a review of the adequacies of procedures which are followed when animals are shot and the training of the Animal Control Officers in handling such situations in future. Report CS -36 -95 will address Animal Control procedures and related staff training as they pertain to the above Resolution #C- 357 -95. 2.0 CURRENT PROCEDURES: 2.1 At the time this particular incident occurred, the Municipality's Procedural Manual as it pertained to injured dogs and dog shootings did not address specific procedures. 2.2 Since then, staff in consultation with other Municipalities and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food have implemented specific procedures to be followed in the event of Animal Control Officers being called out to pick -up an injured dog or to respond to a dog shooting incident. 3.0 REVISED PROCEDURES: 3.1 Two new sections have been added to the procedural manual which will assist staff in carrying out their duties as follows: 903 PAYER APAPELA' E E THLS IS PR[r CD W RECYCLED PAPER ./2 REPORT CS -36 -95 .2- NOVEMBER 6, 1995 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -- 3.1.1 SECTION 14 - INJURED DOGS: • 14.1 All dogs must be properly recorded ensuring all information is accurate, noting that immediate veterinary service is mandatory. Dogs picked up by Animal Control are to be recorded by the veterinarian and all information is to be forwarded to the Animal Control Office as soon as possible. • 14.2 If during regular hours the dogs' owner is known, the Officer will radio the Animal Control Office to call the owner and make them aware that the dog is on the way to a veterinarian for emergency first aid care. • 14.3 If the owner is unknown, the dog will be taken directly to a veterinarian for emergency first aid care. • 14.4 During the hours that Animal Control staff are not on duty, the "After Hours" emergency response procedure comes into effect (See Section 11.3): SECTION 11.3 1.0 Injured with no identification or no owner present between 12 midnight and 12 midnight Friday to Sunday or between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday to Friday proceed to 1.1. 1.1 Call Animal Control (On Call Officer) 435 -3919 or attempt to contact them on the radio once. If no response proceed to 1.2. 1.2 Direct caller to call the after hours veterinary clinic in Whitby at 905 -576 -3031. If further assistance required call Durham Regional Police 579 -1520. • 14.5 When an injured dog has entered upon private property, the owner of the property must be requested to provide authorization to pick -up the injured dog. Where the property owner is unavailable, the Animal Control Officer is to request Police assistance. Only in extreme cases will staff enter onto private property to remove the dog for medical care. • 14.6 The veterinarian will provide, following evaluation of the dog's condition, necessary treatment until ownership is determined or euthanasia. • 14.7 No dog shall be returned to the owner until redemption fees and veterinary fees have been paid in full. • 14.8 Any injured dog suspected of killing/injuring livestock is to be reported to the Clerk's Department immediately, giving impounding information and if known, owner information. The Clerk's Department will then contact a Municipal Livestock Valuer for investigation. • 14.9 Record all information in the Daily Occurrence Book. ../3 REPORT CS -36 -95 - 3 - NOVEMBER 6, 1995 3.1.2 SECTION 15 - HANDLING DOG SHOOTING CALLS: • 15.1 Where Animal Control Officers are notified of a dog shooting incident, the Animal Control Officer shall document all information pertaining to the call in the Daily Occurrence Book prior to attending the call. • 15.2 Where an Animal Control Officer is notified of a dog shooting incident and is on patrol, the Officer shall document all information pertaining to the call prior to attending and record this information in the Daily Occurrence Book upon return to the main office. • 15.3 Once staff attend at the location of the shooting, the Animal Control Officer shall remove any dog carcases and attempt to capture any other dogs that may have been involved in the shooting. • 15.4 If the dog is suspected of killing/injuring livestock, Animal Control Staff shall provide to the owner of the livestock the name and phone number of a Municipal Livestock Valuer and referred to the Clerk's Department for any further information. • 15.5 Prior to returning to the Animal Control Office, staff are to take all dogs directly to a veterinarian for emergency first aid care. • 15.6 After obtaining veterinary assistance the Animal Control Officer will return to the Animal Control Office to record all information in the Daily Occurrence Book and if the dog(s) was dead on arrival to record the animal(s) as such. • 15.7 The Animal Control Officer will then notify the Clerk's Department to contact a Municipal Livestock Valuer for investigation. • 15.8 Staff will make every effort to identify the owner of the dog(s) and refer all enquiries to the Clerk's Department. • 15.9 The Animal Control Officer will then forward as soon as possible all information pertaining to the dog shooting incident to the immediate supervisor. 4.0 STAFF TRAINING: 4.1 Contacts were made with various Colleges offering a diploma in Animal Care Techniques (St. Lawrence College); Animal Care Assistant and Animal Health Technician (Sheridan College). These courses are offered to full -time students and currently nothing is available for staff to upgrade their skills while on the job. 4.2 The Ontario Business College does offer a course in Animal Care Aid in Oshawa. This course, however, is conducted half days (12 noon to 5:00 p.m.) and covers 8 months. ../4 995 REPORT CS -36 -95 "4, NOVEMBER 6, 1995 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------- ------ - ----- 4.3 It would be difficult for staff to recommend these courses for the Animal Control Officers as enrolment would dictate either full or part -time participation which would adversely affect our staffing schedules and the ability to meet our current level of service. 4.4 The Ministry of Agriculture and Food was also contacted for information leading to the availability of training opportunities. Ministry staff indicated they were not aware of any opportunity which might be available to provide the staff training as specified. 4.5 Further, staff contact Dr. Greg Topolie, D.V.M. at the Courtice Pet Clinic to enquire about training opportunities he may have been aware of that could be offered to staff. Dr. Topolie was not aware of any specific programs which offered the training being sought. 4.6 Through further discussions, Dr. Topolie expressed a willingness to work with staff in conjunction with other area veterinarians in preparing and conducting a workshop, designed to train staff, specifically in the area of administering Animal First Aid. 4.7 Although the Workshop content and cost is currently undetermined, Dr. Topolie is aware of the situation which prompted this training and feels confident that an appropriate agenda could be designed to meet the needs of the Municipality. 4.8 Staff also contacted Mr. Carl Bandow of the Associations for Shelter Administrators of Ontario for information related to training opportunities. Mr. Bandow explained that training requirements of this nature are usually provided on an in -house basis, where the Municipality would work together with local veterinarians to design a workshop to meet specific needs. 4.9 With the concurrence of Council, staff will proceed in working with Dr. Topolie in designing and conducting a workshop as soon as possible. 5.0 COMMENT: 5.1 The revised procedures as outlined in this report are currently in effect. Staff is confident that as a result of the revised procedures and proposed workshop, future incidents involving injured dogs or dog shootings will be handled in a consistent manner with the injured animal receiving qualified veterinary care as soon as possible. lly submitted, Jose h P. Caruana, Director Co , unity Services Department JPC:SR:sa Attachments Reviewed by, </�V' W. H. Stockwell, Chief Administrative Officer 906