Trevor back in the pound

Monday November 23, 2009

By Vivian Belik

Ian Stewart/Yukon News

Trevor
Trevor was apprehended on Friday.

Trevor the dog is back behind bars after breaching the terms of his court order.

The Rottweiler-shepherd cross was found Friday afternoon tethered to a tree on Quartz Road without a muzzle, in violation of one of many conditions laid out by the Yukon Supreme Court in July.

The abused dog was rescued by bylaw officers and, because of his friendly nature, was given to the Mae Bachur animal shelter. But after being adopted, the animal bit several people. The city impounded the animal and he was to be euthanized.

But animal-rights activists lobbied to save the animal, and took the city to court to prevent Trevor’s death.

Trevor was assessed by Shelley Breadner, an animal behaviour specialist fromSaanichton, British Columbia.

With the right care, the dog’s behaviour could be managed, said Breadner.

Trevor was transferred to the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter and put on a rehabilitation plan that demanded specific restrictions, such as posting warning signs where the dog was kept, not allowing the dog to be fostered and ensuring Trevor wore a muzzle whenever outside his cage.

On November 16, Breadner decided the shelter could let Trevor be adopted to a suitable owner.

Friday, he was apprehended by bylaw.

Trevor was being walked by his regular volunteer when he was found outside Yukon Brewing Company without a muzzle on, said animal shelter board member Rachel Westfall.

Senior bylaw constable Dave Pruden drove past the dog, saw it wasn’t muzzled and investigated, she said.

He discovered someone had petted the dog while the muzzle was off, according to a news release issued by John Taylor, manager of bylaw services.

Within an hour of seeing the dog without a muzzle, Pruden drove to the shelter, apprehended the dog and put it in the pound.

“We have serious concerns about the legality of his seizure,” said Westfall. “The city should have contacted us before apprehending the dog.”

Because Trevor was never specifically deemed dangerous, there was no bylaw infraction, she said.

This weekend, Westfall and the society’s lawyer, Carrie Burbidge, tried to spring Trevor from the pound, without any success.

“Now we’re waiting to go to court to see what the proper lines of communication should have been,” she said.

“There’s nothing in the bylaws that gave them that right to take the dog.”

The city has already spent $25,000 in legal fees fighting the case in court.

“Trevor was only released by the city to the humane society based on the understanding that these conditions would be followed,” said Taylor in the release.

“It’s unfortunate that it has come to this as the city has been working very hard to accommodate all parties in this situation, but public safety must come first.”

Taylor could not be reached for comment before press time.

Contact Vivian Belik at

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Bookmark and Share 10 Comments

10:53pm 11/26/09  |  Mike Grieco wrote:

yukoner70, all Bylaw had to do was to prove Trevor is a “dangerous dog” and this would not have cost tax payers $25’000 plus. Instead they tried to claim “ownwership” over him and then kill him because it is “legal” to kill
your pets (you don’t need an excuse). “IT’S A DOG! BLAM!”
Sounds like you already have to others. Killing is easy; we know this.

Perhaps you might want to write to Mayor and Council and ask them how much $$$ it cost to run the city pound.

10:46pm 11/26/09  |  Mike Grieco wrote:

bobvibert,
Angry,much? At least we know Trevor can think and be friendly to others.
You aren’t a “youth leader or compassionate care giver”, Right? Phew, glad to hear it. Your comment says more about yourself than one ever could.

2:55pm 11/26/09  |  K Sinclair wrote:

Wow aren’t you a piece of work BobV or should I say a POS. I bet if the checked your DNA it would come back mixed and a cross between an inbred hillbilly and a Neanderthal.One can only hope that you do not have a wife, girlfriend,children or a pet of any kind up to and including a gold fish.
PLEASE G-d PLEASE.(A 1,000 TIMES PLEASE) Dont let this guy breed.

2:38pm 11/24/09  |  Sled Dog Watchdog wrote:

Ah the Yukon - land of the trigger-happy cowards who shoot dogs (pathetic bunch). To those of you who whine about the Shitty of Whitehorse wasting money on its idiotic legal case, why don’t you complain about the money COW gives to the Yukon Quest every year? First Avenue was cleaned up PDQ this year after the Quest start. Bloody diarrhea patches in the street are not too good for tourism. Talk about sloppy!

12:37pm 11/24/09  |  davidgreer99 wrote:

What is the big deal about this dog??  Seems to me like they are making a big deal about absolutely nothing!  Can’t believe how much attention this is getting, who cares what happens?!?  its just a dog.  Get over it people.

11:36am 11/24/09  |  yukoner70 wrote:

yukonchick, and anyone else who thinks this dog is worth another cent… give your head a shake. This mutt had cost Whitehorse taxpayers over $25,000 already. A 22cal is about 4 cents. Do you not think the homelessness, salvation army food drive, x-mas gifts for low income families, etc could have used that money better?

IT’S A DOG!  BLAM! problem solved.

10:29am 11/24/09  |  bfast wrote:

If the dog lovers can’t figure out how to provide, “the right care”, they should taste the consequences of their sloppiness.  This dog needs to be put out of its misery and the animal shelter needs to grieve the loss, and commit to being cautious with the next wild beast that comes into their care.  If we let ‘em get away with this sloppiness, they will be sloppy in the future, the next headline will read that this dog has killed somebody’s kid.

12:01am 11/24/09  |  YukonChick wrote:

bobvibert - If ever I saw a post that should have not made it through moderation it’s yours.

Your words are not those of a youth leader or compassionate care giver. Your comments do nothing to improve the overall quality of life for people here. Please focus your energy on something that will truly develop society.

8:16pm 11/23/09  |  Sled Dog Watchdog wrote:

Trevor the dog did not breach the terms of his court orders. It was the person who had the dog in his or her care who did so. Irresponsible reports like this only feed the numerous MORONS like bobvivert if that is a real name. Trevor needs to get out of the Yukon PERIOD. The City of Whitehorse (his persecutors) is deservedly a national and worldwide embarrassment over this case. Thanks to the few good people up there who are protecting him.

1:44pm 11/23/09  |  bobvibert wrote:

Oh Good LORD. Get Over it. Have’nt we heard enough about that fleatrap mutt
that cost the taxpayers all that money and Animal Shelter alot of work? Can
someone PLEASE comeforward with a rifle and BLOW that Mutts’ Brains Out?
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE (1000 times PLEASE)!

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