Statement to clarify misinformation regarding recent animal control activity

On October 4, 2019, the Town of Riverview seized a dog from a Riverview residence with support from the Codiac RCMP and impounded the dog at a facility licensed by the NBSPCA. This action followed an incident that occurred in September wherein the dog attacked a minor and another dog; both victims sustained injuries that required hospitalization and/or treatment. 

That incident deemed the animal to be an “aggressive dog” per the terms of BY-LAW 600-05-04 (A By-law Relating to the Control of Animals in the Town of Riverview). An “Aggressive Dog” is defined as any individual dog that has bitten, injured or killed a person or another domestic animal without provocation.

The Town of Riverview took appropriate steps contained within the by-law. The dog’s breed was not considered a factor in any actions undertaken, as the Town of Riverview does not enforce or support breed-specific legislation.

For the safety and protection of the public, owners of an aggressive dog must comply with the criteria of BY-LAW 600-05-04 Section 4 and any further criteria set by a provincial court judge as per section 5. If the owner of an aggressive dog is non-compliant with the provisions of the by-law, the Town of Riverview may seize and impound the dog until such provisions are met.

Staff worked in cooperation with the owner to expedite the process of returning the dog. When all provisions were met, the dog was returned to its owner on October 7. 

There have been a number of misleading or inaccurate social media posts about this particular incident. The Town of Riverview is obligated to protect the privacy and safety of the victims of the incident and that of the dog’s owner. As such, we are not able to address comments with parties not involved in this incident. We urge community members to be mindful that there are more sides to a story than what is often provided on social media.

The Town of Riverview through its online channels has received numerous threats against its employees and contractors. Such calls for violence are being referred to the Codiac RCMP.
 

Colin Smith
Chief Administrative Officer
Town of Riverview