As if owning a dog wasn't already expensive enough, the administration of Valérie Plante has passed new regulations surrounding pets. According to a TVA report, in the hopes of preventing future dog attacks, the city now requires any pet owner whose dog has even tried to bite a person to subject their pet to professional evaluation at the cost of $465.

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TL;DR In the hopes of preventing future dog attacks, if a complaint is made about a dog that has bitten or attempts to bite, the dog will be required to undergo professional evaluation by a dog ​​behaviour specialists at the cost of $465.

These new regulations were adopted in August 2018, however, the cost of $465 came into effect January 1st, 2019.

Previously, only dogs that actually attacked and caused injuries to a person needed to be assessed.

Now, if a complaint is made about a dog that has bitten or even attempts to bite, a city inspector will be sent to the dog owner to assess the situation, and if the dog is considered"at risk," they will prescribe a mandatory evaluation.

The important part to note: the city inspector can seize a dog of a citizen who refuses to collaborate, and can euthanize or put the animal up for adoption 72 hours later.

The evaluation



The TVA report goes on to explain how dogs will be evaluated. Experts will place the dog into one of three "risk" categories: "dangerous," "potentially dangerous," or only "at risk."

If the dog ​​behaviour specialists deems an animal as "dangerous," they will be euthanized within 48-hours.

If the dog falls into the "potentially dangerous" category, there will be instructions to follow. Owners will be required to obtain a special permit priced at $150 a year, as well as a warning poster to be placed in front of their home.

Moreover, "potentially dangerous" dogs, if outdoors, will be required to wear a muzzle and be supervised by a person over 18 at all time.

Lastly, if the animal is not considered dangerous at all, the owners will still need to pay the full evaluation fee and prove the animal is sterilized and microchipped.

These new regulations are bound to cause some controversy, especially for dog owners. What are your thoughts?

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