Beloved pet euthanised
Dispute around impounded dog’s death
MAREEBA Shire Council has been forced to defend allegations that it accidentally put down a purebred husky and then tried to cover up the dog’s death.
When Mareeba resident Kylie Rosin’s pet husky Balto escaped from his yard earlier this month, and was found wandering the streets, he was picked up by the council’s animal control officers and taken to the pound.
Ms Rosin was told that, during this process, a council officer was attacked and bitten by her 18-month-old pet.
“I was told that the dog was impounded because he was aggressive and he attacked one of the males on the leg,” she said.
She admitted Balto had been unregistered for nine months but said she was trying to find a new owner as she could not care for him anymore.
Ms Rosin said she made many attempts to contact the council but when she went to reclaim her husky discovered he had been euthanised.
“I was devastated,” Ms Rosin said. “I had to see my shrink to help me cope with some of the stuff. I loved that dog so much.”
A council spokesman said Balto was not euthanised on the grounds that he was an aggressive animal, rather the dog was unclaimed by its owner for the three days allotted during its impoundment process.
“A notice of impounding was issued, which indicated the period in which they had to reclaim the dog before it became the property of Mareeba Shire Council,” he said.
“On Tuesday afternoon, on August 8, the keeper of the dog visited council’s customer service centre.
“At this time our staff advised that, unless the necessary registration and impoundment fees were paid by 10am on Wednesday, August 9, the impounded dog would become the property of Mareeba Shire Council.
“By 10am Wednesday, the dog was not reclaimed and became the property of council.
“It was euthanised by a local vet later that afternoon.”
Ms Rosin refuted the council’s claims that due process was followed, alleging officers had told her differing stories about the incident.
She said at no stage during the process was she informed she would have to pay registration and impoundment fees before the three-day deadline.