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This article was published 3/5/2019 (509 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A civic committee unanimously upheld a dangerous dog designation imposed on two animals owned by a woman now living in West St. Paul who wants to move back to the city.

A seemingly humble Kendra Halabicki pleaded unsuccessfully with councillors for almost an hour Friday morning, claiming her dogs are good with children and that they had been wrongly blamed for other dogs' behaviour, and asked to have the designations on her dogs lifted.

Animal Services imposed the designation in August 2018, based on a series of incidents dating back to 2014, when 11 different people had complained that Halabicki’s two dogs — Lola, a seven-year-old English bulldog, and Kloe, a five-year-old American bulldog/boxer cross — had attacked and bitten other dogs, chased people and were constantly running at large.

Halabicki insisted her dogs were gentle animals who did occasionally become aggressive but only when provoked.

Kendra Halabicki told councillors Friday her dogs are good with children and they had been wrongly blamed for other dogs' behaviour. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

"My dogs have grown up from a puppy stage… with kids all over them all of the time," she told the committee.

Following the hearing, Halabicki said she didn’t know what her plans would be now, explaining she has a job offer as an apartment building caretaker in the city but is concerned what will happen if she returns with her dogs.

"If I move my dogs with me (to Winnipeg), it just might cause more trouble," she said.

The designation requires the dog owner to keep the dogs confined either indoors or in a secure outdoor pen. If taken off the property, the dogs have to be muzzled and restrained by a six-foot-long chain or leash. The owner also must show proof of a minimum $1-million comprehensive liability insurance policy for harm or injury caused by the animal.

According to the Responsible Pet Ownership bylaw, city staff can seize a dog when an owner fails to comply with the conditions imposed by a dangerous dog designation. The bylaw authorizes the Animal Services chief operating officer to hold a hearing to declare the dog "exceptionally dangerous," which would be a prelude to the animal being destroyed.

Leland Gordon, animal services COO, said he remains concerned the dogs pose a threat to children and adults if the controls on the animals imposed by the designations are removed. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

During the hearing, Halabicki produced letters from friends, family members and neighbours attesting to the good behaviour of her dogs. She said some of the complaints had been made by angry and resentful tenants in the building where she had been the caretaker.

The only individual who spoke in Halabicki's favour was her boyfriend, whose dog was destroyed in December 2018 by officials in West St. Paul after it had run from their home and bit a person.

Leland Gordon, animal services COO, said Halabicki’s calm demeanor at the hearing was a dramatic change from the often confrontational and aggressive attitude she had demonstrated when approached by Animal Services staff.

Gordon said his staff hadn’t been harassing Halabicki but were responding to complaints from others, adding she has refused to take responsibility for her dogs’ aggressive behaviour.

If one or two of the incidents actually didn’t involve her dogs, there were too many others to ignore, Gordon said, adding he remains concerned the dogs pose a serious threat to children and adults if the limited controls on the animals imposed by the designations are removed.

"The amount of city resources that have been used to deal with (Halabicki) has just been mind-boggling," Gordon said. "The question is what do you do with somebody who’s shown so much irresponsible pet ownership over the years? The one control we have is the dangerous dog designation."

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca