Councillors in the Municipality of the District of Guysborough have formally adopted their new dog bylaw.
They passed final reading at January’s regular council meeting Wednesday.
After, Vernon Pitts, the warden of the municipality, said they’re pleased to replace the outdated former policy.
Pitts said it held dogs responsible for their actions instead of the owners.
“That’s not the proper way to do things,” he said. “They’re animals- they only reflect what their owners do (and) what their owners allow them to do, so they have to take responsibility for their pets.”
Pitts said the new policy was a long time in the making, but it’s a good bylaw.
“It’s putting the onus- the responsibility- on the owner, and not on the dog,” he said. “There’s no (specific) breed that is banned in the municipality, so we’re open to all breeds- just govern yourself accordingly, or you will pay the consequences.”
Pitts said dog owners in violation of the bylaw would likely face fines.
He said jail time and putting a dog down are also options within the new policy.
