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Dogs won’t be sent to research labs
Friday July 25 2008 By Cynthia Gamble, Staff Writer A moratorium has been placed on sending unwanted Halton Hills dogs to research facilities.
Liz White of the Animal Alliance of Canada made the request of Halton Hills council at a recent meeting.
“You guys do an absolute fabulous job at getting animals back home. It’s one of the best statistics I’ve seen anywhere— at almost 80 per cent reclaim rate in dogs,” White told councillors. “Where you fall down is in your adoption. ...With a little bit of work, the adoption rate could be much improved and there would be no need to send animals to research.”
According to a staff report, in the first year of operation (May 2007 to April 2008) by the Town’s canine services provider, Halton Hills Canine Services (HHCS), operated by Rudy and Liz De Jong, 167 dogs were impounded— 11 of which were sent to research facilities and none were euthanized. HHCS was able to reunite 132 dogs with their families, seven were adopted, and 17 were donated to Humane Societies.
HHCS operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Last year, it received 309 complaints of dogs running at large, handled close to 1,500 calls, made 287 emergency responses, filed 313 lost dog reports, and filed 295 found dog reports.
Past Town statistics show that there were about 50 per cent more dogs running loose in the past year than in previous years. HHCS attributes that to an increase in the dog population in the newer subdivisions.
Statistics on canine euthanasia has dropped dramatically over the years from 60 dogs in 2004-05, 53 in 2005-06, and two in 2006-07 to zero last year.
The moratorium on sending dogs to research facilities will be in place until the Town checks out the legal ramifications of contravening provincial legislation— the Animals for Research Act— which states that an animal cannot be euthanized if there is a research facility that wants it.
White’s organization would rather an animal be euthanized than be sent to a research facility.
White said it is unfair of the Town to say no dogs were euthanized because the 11 that were sent to research facilities were likely euthanized but only after painful experiments.
While HHCS makes every effort to reunite dogs with their owners or find new homes for the dogs, there are some that become “the unwanted”. These dogs are refused by agencies due to their breeds such as pit bulls or age, health that would require expensive treatment or lack of space.
HHCS keeps an animal for five days, and then offers it to, among others,  Upper Credit Humane Society, Oakville Humane Society, Mississauga Animal Services and Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
According to the staff report, DeJong has kept some dogs up to two weeks, incurring all the pound costs out of his own pocket while waiting for space to free up at a Humane Society.
White asked that her organization, Project Jessie, be added to HHCS’s list of places to call. The Orangeville-based group and DeJong are both willing to meet halfway to exchange the dog, the Town report said.
White also requested a number of other actions: setting up an animal services advisory committee on how to improve services; looking at what other municipalities do; following up on dogs sent to research facilities; setting up a protocol to aid residents to get their dogs back who had been sent to a research facility and reveal what is the revenue generated by sending dogs for research. Council took no specific action on these requests.
Halton Hills Canine Service’s office phone number is 905-877-6235 (leave a message). The Crisis phone number is 416-706-3647. The office is open by appointment only. The HHCS deals with dogs only— for cats or any wildlife, contact the Upper Credit Humane Society, 519-833-2287.

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