MCK announces immediate steps to address issue of loose dogs

09/14/2017

The Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) announced today that it is taking action to address the issue of unrestrained dogs in the Territory. The announcement comes the day after a 13-year-old boy was injured in a vicious dog attack on Veteran’s Boulevard.

The MCK is immediately contacting all agencies within the community that have any dealings with this issue, such as Animal Protection, Community Safety and the Kahnawake Peacekeepers to convene a meeting to address an issue that has clearly come to a head.

For years, the MCK and Community Safety have been promoting responsible care for pets, including keeping dogs either leashed or fenced in. Following yesterday’s attack, Chief & Council decided today to take further measures to address the issue directly and without delay.

“Enough is enough,” said Ratsénhaienhs Bobby Patton, who holds the Community Safety portfolio. “It’s time to gather our people together to end this problem once and for all. It is our intent that we gather as many facts as possible, then put our heads together to ensure that there are laws and policies in place that will ensure the safety of our people, especially the children. Even one bite is already too many.”

“It is disturbing that so many people seem to put the supposed rights of their dogs over the rights of the people,” he concluded. “Our children must first. The end of the loose dog era can’t come soon enough.”