Emo won’t cage up rottweilers, pit bulls

While a request was made by some Emo residents for a bylaw to cage and padlock rottweilers and pit bulls in the community, the local council disagreed.
The request was brought forward at last Tuesday night’s regular council meeting by people who walk in the community, though they were not present at the meeting.
It was noted they are scared to pass by homes while these dogs are tied up or fenced in the yard.
“It’s not the dog’s fault—it’s the owner’s fault,” noted Coun. Gerd O’Sullivan. “I’d like to see them caged up.”
But she added she felt it’s unfair to be breed specific because not all rottweilers and pit bulls have the same demeanor. And sometimes smaller dogs also can be a problem.
“If they are tied up or caged in their yard, there’s not much else we can,” said Emo Reeve Ed Carlson. “It’s when they are loose that it’s different.”
And though he indicated there are not a lot of dogs running at large, it was noted there was an incident in the past.
It also was mentioned the township’s bylaw enforcer, who also is the dog catcher, can’t handle some of these fierce dogs.
Reeve Carlson suggested it might be worthwhile for the dog catcher to carry a tranquilizer gun to help in case a situation arose where one of the animals became loose.
Council planned to look into requirements for carrying and using a tranquilizer gun.
There are ongoing debates right across the country on whether dogs, such as rottweilers and pit bulls, should be banned.
Some jurisdictions, like Ontario and the city of Winnipeg, already have banned pit bulls while other communities have proposed a ban or have restrictions on them.