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Cain supporters aren’t giving up

A dog awaiting his day in court to determine if he should be destroyed remains in the Kitimat-Stikine regional district’s Thornhill shelter

A dog awaiting his day in court to determine if he should be destroyed remains in the Kitimat-Stikine regional district’s Thornhill shelter but supporters who want him taken to the Kitimat Humane Society shelter aren’t giving up.

“What they’ve done is said ‘nope the dog still stays here,’” said Maryann Ouellet, manager of the Kitimat Humane Society, about the regional district’s response to the last attempt to get the dog transferred to Kitimat.

She will be working on another plan to have Cain transferred to what she and other supporters have said is a better place for him to be until his court date in December.

The German shepherd has been in the Thornhill animal shelter since this past Easter.

Cain, who belongs to a Thornhill family, was apprehended and placed into the Thornhill animal shelter after he bit a child and tore another child’s pants last April.

The Thornhill animal shelter subsequently asked for a destruction order for the dog.

That would require a court order.

Cain’s owner Paul MacNeil asked the regional district at its August meeting to let the dog be moved to the Kitimat Humane Society where he and his supporters believe the canine would have better care until its trial day in December.

A provincial court judge will decide whether the dog poses a danger to the public and whether it can be rehabilitated.

Other factors, including if this is Cain’s first offence, will be taken into consideration.

The judge’s decision will be made after hearing from the dog owner and witnesses.

The process is just as if it was a criminal trial was underway.

Transferring Cain would be of benefit to the regional district as it would no longer be paying to keep him locked up. Money for his board would come from operating costs of the shelter which isn’t just taxpayers’ money but also comes from fees, fines and charges, said regional district administrator Bob Marcellin.

The boarding fee for dogs at the shelter is $8 per day. Staffing costs would be in addition.

“Cost is not really a factor at this point. [Cain is] in our jurisdiction [and] our legal control because there is a court case,” said Murray Daly, regional district bylaw enforcement officer.

As of today, Oct. 24, Cain has been at the Thornhill animal shelter for 202 days, which in boarding costs would be $1,616, not including labour costs.