Trevor the dog gets heavier restrictions

Friday November 27, 2009

By James Munson

Ian Stewart/Yukon News

Trevor
Trevor was apprehended on Friday.

Trevor the dog’s security breach has tightened the rules surrounding his daily walks.

The German shepherd/Rottweiler cross was caught without a muzzle last Friday, forcing bylaw officers to snatch the dog from the Mae Bachur animal shelter and put him in the city pound.

People who volunteer to walk Trevor must now attend a presentation on Trevor’s court-ordered restrictions, a judge decided Monday afternoon.

But the new condition wouldn’t have prevented Friday’s incident, said shelter board member Rachel Westfall.

“Even going with the more rigorous process that we’re going to be going through with our walkers now, it probably wouldn’t have prevented it from happening, unfortunately,” she said.

The dog walker who removed Trevor’s muzzle knew he was breaking the law.

“When he removed the muzzle, he apparently told the woman he was introducing Trevor to that he could get into a lot of trouble for doing this,” said Westfall.

The man signed an affidavit for Monday’s court hearing swearing he understood that the muzzle wasn’t to be taken off.

“Trevor was becoming so good that maybe (the walker) was becoming a bit complacent,” said Westfall.

“It was a poor judgment call on his part,” she said. “Apparently he feels very bad this happened.”

Before the incident, the only barrier to walking Trevor was signing a document assuring the shelter that Trevor’s restrictions were understood.

Trevor made national headlines this summer after a legal battle erupted over his custody between the city and the shelter.

The “dog on death row” was nearly euthanized for biting two people, but the shelter and animal rights advocates fought for his release.

He was deemed a dangerous dog by a judge in October, but was granted the freedom to be adopted after undergoing a rehabilitation program.

Asked if the shelter felt it had broken the public’s trust for flouting his hard-fought-for restrictions, Westfall said the shelter couldn’t have known the dog walker was negligent.

“We did our due diligence,” she said. “We had him read the order and made him fully oriented as to what Trevor’s restrictions were. We certainly did screw up in that this person shouldn’t have had Trevor, but there were no warning signs of that.”

Currently, there are three approved dog walkers and more will likely follow.

The man who removed the muzzle won’t be walking Trevor anymore.

“That particular dog walker is not on our list,” said Westfall.

Contact James Munson at

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Bookmark and Share 14 Comments

5:07pm 12/17/09  |  leon wrote:

I think JOHN TAYLOR should adopt the dog and take him to Qualicum…..

12:23pm 12/03/09  |  soldierpiper wrote:

I already have adopted a very needy dog,& he,s doing great.Maybe you should try your own advice.I,ve raised dogs most of my life not to mention many other animals.I have stepped up to the plate in that regard,someone like you probably would,nt qualify with your anti negative attitude towards animals.

10:34am 12/03/09  |  bfast wrote:

soldierpiper, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is.  Go adopt Trevor.  Prove me wrong.  And when someone’s kid is in the hospital with a missing face, just remember that I told you so.

8:18am 12/03/09  |  soldierpiper wrote:

Wow I guess we are all supposed to be impressed by your big words,that still makes no difference in your cowardly attitude,you say he a vicious dog & must be treated as such ?That dog is not vicious & why do you hate animals maybe because you can bully them with out fear of reprisal?Anyone who wants to do harm to innocent badly abused animals can be described in one word .Coward ,I,m sure you will now go look for a dog to kick.Like I said thats about your speed.

3:55pm 12/02/09  |  bfast wrote:

Hmmm, the soldierpiper resorts to an ad hominem.

1:07pm 12/02/09  |  soldierpiper wrote:

Hey,that,a very weak argument to try & justify your hatred of animals.But that,s about your speed.

10:55am 12/02/09  |  bfast wrote:

If a dog can be trained to be a vicious dog, even treating nice people viciously, is it not reasonable that the terrible treatment that Trevor had has produced a vicious dog?  I am not off topic.  Trevor is a vicious dog, and must be treated as such, end of story.

4:02pm 12/01/09  |  soldierpiper wrote:

Are you talking about a guard dog or about Trevor,try to stay focused on the subject of the report.

11:14am 12/01/09  |  bfast wrote:

soldierpiper, are you suggesting that a dog cannot be trained to be vicious?  Are you suggesting that if you walk up to a guard dog and say “nice doggy”, he’ll lick your hand?

6:26am 11/30/09  |  soldierpiper wrote:

If that dog really did bite anyone then they more than likely where going out of their way to bother him.Only someone that has no love of animals would want to do harm to him.Animals respond to how they are treated,& in answer to your question if you bit me would that be wrong ? Well that would be as wrong as me removing you from your teeth with my knuckles.

12:53pm 11/29/09  |  bfast wrote:

soldierpiper, “What the hells wrong with people? This poor dog has done nothing wrong”  This dog has been biting people.  If I bit you, would that be wrong?

5:08am 11/29/09  |  soldierpiper wrote:

What the hells wrong with people? This poor dog has done nothing wrong & so many are quick to condem him .Any one who has animals can see in his eyes he,s no threat & he needs a loving home.This dog was neglected & abused from the get go now so many evil incarnates want to punish him.Idiots ,this is a innocent dog & one of Gods creatures it,s you who need your heads examined.I hope someone responsible adopts him & gets him out of the public eye,he has suffered enough & deserves better.

2:51pm 11/28/09  |  bfast wrote:

What good are heavier restrictions if the restrictions aren’t respected?  What good are restrictions when there are no consequences for disrespecting them?  And why would we let a known vicious canine offender threaten our community, our children, when we dutifully lock up any person who has committed the violent acts that this dog has committed—even if they had a horrible childhood.

1:40pm 11/27/09  |  Maureen wrote:

That dog doesn’t look more wicked than most people I know.
Give this dog a break and a good home and he’ll become a great pet.

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