An ongoing case at a Canadian Humane Society

If you see an animal on someone’s lawn and you’re wondering if you should drop it off at your local Humane Society, please make sure that it is, in fact, a stray before you take this serious step. An ongoing case at a Canadian Humane Society illustrates the risks involved:

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A kindhearted woman noticed a dog on her new neighbours’ lawn and--not realizing it belonged to that neighbour--took it to the Humane Society. Shortly after, she realized her error and rushed back to apologize and reclaim the dog. The Humane Society wasn’t happy. They wanted the owners of the dog to come in and pay $48 before they would release the dog. The owners did as they were told. The Humane Society still wasn’t happy. They decided to investigate the owners, and came out to inspect their property. They found everything in order. The Humane Society still wasn’t happy. They demanded that the owners take the dog to a veterinarian to have it checked, and threatened to charge them with cruelty to animals if they didn’t comply within two business days. The owners did as they were told. The vet called the Humane Society directly to tell them the dog was in good condition. The Humane Society still wasn’t happy. They’re now demanding an additional $99 to cover veterinary costs that they claim they incurred during the dog’s five hour stay at the Humane Society. The owners have asked to see that veterinary bill. The Humane Society is refusing to show them a bill, refusing to tell them the name of the vet, and are now threatening to seize the dog if they don’t pay the $99 (Incredibly, they can do this: Humane Society workers can enter your property at any time, without your permission and without a warrant--something even the police cannot do). As you can imagine, this situation is causing an enormous amount of stress for both the owners and the neighbour. Please be absolutely certain an animal is a genuine stray before taking it in to this organization. Thank you. Lynn Shaver St. Anns, ON

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