The MD of Bonnyville is sending out a warning to well-intentioned residents when it comes to dogs. The MD says they’ve received a variety of bills from local SPCA’s after people brought in what they assumed to be stray dogs, only to find they belonged to a local farm or property and arent in distress at all.
“Many rural properties are large, and dogs living on farms or acreages are accustomed to walking their entire property, often in the ditch,” explained Public Safety Director, Chris Garner. “This is not cause for alarm, and these animals do not need to be rescued.”
The MD urges residents to check with local neighbours to judge if an animal is a stray or in need of help. If the dog does need rescuing, residents are urged to call the Public Safety Department at 780-812-3332.
“If you pass a dog and feel it is in distress, please do not attempt to rescue it yourself,” Garner says. “Instead, call us to report the situation. An officer will check on the dog and will quickly determine if it actually resides in the area, or if circumstances dictate it should be picked up.”