By: Wayne Litke

Common sense solutions to problems should be welcomed in this world of smoke screens, double-talk and side-stepping. However, once a statement is made publicly or on the record, it can spark a negative reaction with naive or poorly-informed individuals.

Painfully true statements that are not dressed in politically correct terminology can cause a feed-frenzy by politicians or organizations that want to score points publicly.
Therefore, I was surprised to read a politically dangerous quote from an MLA regarding the control of stray dogs that killed a 10-year-old child 11 days ago. Keith Iron was apparently only half a block from his home on the Canoe Lake First Nation when he was viciously attacked by a pack of dogs. Three of the animals were later shot by the RCMP.
The reserve has a bylaw to ensure dangerous animals are tied up, but there was no action taken to enforce the law. Without a bylaw enforcement officer or dog catcher, stray dogs roamed the streets at will and their numbers increased due to uncontrolled breeding.
Regarding the overpopulation of dogs on reserves, MLA Buckley Belanger hit the nail on the head during an interview with Jeanette Stewart. I have met and interviewed Buckley twice, and know he can speak eloquently if he so chooses. However, he wasn’t afraid to mince words regarding effective and economical animal control at cash-strapped reserves. In a story in the Leader-Post, he said a “two-dollar bullet” may be the “quicker, more affordable option.”
Thank you Buckley for stating the obvious as residents on reserves reiterate calls for their chief and council to control dog populations that sometimes out-number people. The solution is simple, cheap, and very effective. Is it safe and humane? Absolutely, if it is performed correctly, and by an authorized person so that the process does not become a personal matter between the controller and dog owners.
One of my family members has actively pursued the “lead poisoning” of unwanted or dangerous animals. His services were in demand by many animal owners who had useless animals or creatures that became vicious or unpredictable with age. His actions were also seen as barbaric and heartless by others. As the demand for his services increased, he suddenly had a change of heart one day.
In a moment of weakness, he suggested the “two-dollar bullet” could be replaced with a ball-peen hammer that would be quieter and equally effective. That’s not a pleasant image for pet owners, but there is no doubt it is a cost effective and affordable solution that any cash-strapped municipality can afford. Allowing stray dogs to overpopulate to the point that they will kill a child is unacceptable at any level of government. If the chief and council can’t afford to hire someone to enforce animal control bylaws, then it’s time they roll up their sleeves and get their own hands dirty.
I like dogs and had dogs as pets while I grew up. The fact that a neighbour’s dog (on a long leash) almost took out my eye when I was seven years old did not stop me from loving the animals after that. However, affection for canines should not blind us to the hazards they can present when allowed to roam free and overpopulate.
Some breeds have a proclivity to be aggressive, and what triggers such behaviour is not always known. Many years ago, I had to use a water glass to convince a large bull dog to go home after it decided to charge down a street and make a meal of my girlfriend and me. There was no biting, blood or stitches, but it may have been a much different situation if I had been nine years old instead of 19.
It is more than a neglect of civic duty if a council or municipal government allows dogs (or any animal) to pose a hazard to human life, especially a child.  Such inaction is a criminal offense that could be averted by simply employing a ball peen hammer.