Ombudsman to expedite owners’ complaints
Notices ask owners to surrender pets
The ombudsman for the city of Montreal pledged on Friday that her office would fast-track complaints sparked by about 500 notices sent out to owners of pit-bull type dogs that they had four weeks to surrender their pets because of a lack of proper documentation.
But Johanne Savard told the Montreal Gazette that while her office has the power to make sure city regulations were applied fairly, it didn’t have the power to suspend the four-week deadline the city had imposed on the dog owners pending her investigation.
“I could start a discussion in that regard, but I only have a power of recommendation,” she said. “My mandate is to make sure the regulations are carried out justly, fairly and reasonably.”
Savard said the complaints received thus far by her office — 15 on Thursday and at least as many on Friday — fell into three categories: those who had clearly not met the deadline to provide the city with any of the proper documentation to receive a special permit to let them keep their dog, those who sent in information that was incomplete and those who had fully observed all of the requirements yet nevertheless received a notice to surrender their dog.
“We intend to treat them in bulk. Once we’ve put the complaints in each category, we’ll sit down with the department involved . ... My experience with them is that they collaborate well.”
Savard said that if it became clear it would impossible to handle all of the complaints within the fourweek deadline, “we’ll try and address the issue at that time.”
“We’re going to take a look at the situation,” said Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, to make sure no mistakes were made in a couple of cases. “But frankly, nobody should say that they’re surprised,” he continued.
“When we have to make a final decision, we make a final decision,” Coderre said.
He stressed that pit bull owners were given a three-month extension to file the necessary paperwork and that they must now comply with the bylaw. A statement from a city spokesperson restated their position that those who received the letters did not complete their file “despite (their) reminders.”
Complaints to the ombudsman can be filed by filling out a form on the office’s website ombudsmandemontreal.com, emailing the office at ombudsman@ville.montreal.qc.ca or faxing the details of the problem to 514-872-2379.
Individuals who believe an error was made regarding their file can email the city at permis.special@ville.montreal.qc.ca with the details of the presumed mistake.