Trevor the Dog

Humane Society Yukon is concerned about recent reports that Trevor the dog, who was adopted from the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter by Tamara Allaby on May 15, 2009, has now been surrendered to the Whitehorse City Pound with allegations that he behaved aggressively towards several people.

Trevor’s history

Trevor came to the Mae Bachur Shelter from the City Pound, where he had been treated for injuries from an ingrown collar. The City Pound will not release aggressive dogs to the Mae Bachur Shelter. At the Pound, Trevor behaved well, in spite of being in pain from his ingrown collar. Shelter staff were told that Trevor had cooperated well with his handlers from City Bylaw, and with the veterinarian who provided his care.

At the Mae Bachur Shelter, Trevor did not behave aggressively towards staff or volunteer dog-walkers. The Shelter staff had no concerns about Trevor.

Upon adopting Trevor, Tamara Allaby was given copies of his medical and micro chipping records, and she was informed of Trevor's sad history involving an ingrown collar. Having a collar imbedded into the dog's neck does not cause a dog to become aggressive, and the Shelter‟s experience with Trevor showed him to be well behaved. Tamara Allaby was under a contractual agreement to return Trevor to the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter if she was unable to keep him for any reason.

Judging by recent newspaper reports, Tamara Allaby apparently gave Trevor to her brother, Matthew Allaby, as he claims to have been the dog's owner. According to the adoption agreement Tamara Allaby signed, she was required to return Trevor to the Shelter if she could not keep him, and she should not have given Trevor away to her brother. Trevor never should have been surrendered to the City Pound. He is now on "Death Row," which is not where we think he should be.

We are concerned about newspaper reports that Matthew Allaby took Trevor camping with him without a collar, immediately after adopting him, and presumably let him run loose. This is very irresponsible, given that Trevor was a new addition to the family, and was still adjusting to his new caregivers. All new dog owners should take proper precautions when working with adopted animals.

Adopting a dog from the shelter

All dogs require a period of training and adaptation to their new home, whether adopted from an animal shelter or from elsewhere. Few dogs go to a home prepared to behave perfectly, obedient to commands from a new owner. All new dog owners should be prepared to provide this training, and to help their pet adjust to his or her new surroundings. There are local dog trainers who offer discounts on training classes for dogs coming from the Shelter. If you have adopted a dog from the Shelter, please speak with the Shelter staff regarding these discounts.

We recommend that prospective adopters take the time to get to know the dogs in the Shelter, walking them and spending time with them, before making the decision to take a dog home. This makes the transition easier for the dog, as well as for the new owner.

Shelter policy for aggressive dogs

On the rare occasion that a dog does display aggressive behaviour towards anyone at the Shelter, that dog is not made available for adoption to the general public until they have successfully completed an appropriate course of training and evaluation. Also, the dog‟s eventual adoptive owner is carefully screened to ensure that he or she is an experienced dog handler.

Only on extremely rare occasions will the Shelter euthanize a dog due to aggressive behaviour, as most behavioural problems can be remedied through training and appropriate handling. The Humane Society Yukon views euthanasia as the last resort.

Humane Society Yukon is advocating for Whitehorse City Bylaw to release Trevor to the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter, as he should have been returned there when his adoptive owner was not willing to keep him.