A HARK animal control vehicle parked in Haines.
Haines has had numerous incidents lately involving loose dogs causing harm to animals and in one case a person. The Haines Borough Police Department posted a notice on its Facebook page Tuesday that it will be actively enforcing borough rules regarding dogs at large and citing owners who fail to comply.
There have been three incidents reported to Haines Borough Police in the last month involving loose dogs creating disturbances.
This week police were notified that a roaming dog bit a young boy. On June 15th, a cat was killed on its owners’ property by two loose dogs. On May 30th, the police responded to a call about multiple dogs chasing moose calves at 3 mile on the Haines Highway.
Police Chief Heath Scott said that the nature of the incidents and the short period of time in which they occurred was a cause for concern.
“With these three occasions, it was enough to mention to the public that we would like to see owners of animals take a concerted effort to make sure that they’re secure and that the owners understand that they are responsible for these dogs,” Scott said.
According to Haines Borough code, “It is unlawful for the owner or keeper of a dog to permit, allow or suffer that dog to be at large.” Penalties for violating this rule vary depending on whether the dog has been spayed or neutered. Owners that let unaltered dogs roam risk a fine of $150 while altered dogs carry a fine of only $50.
Scott said he understands when owners allow their dogs to walk off leash and that losing track of a dog on occasion is normal. He is more concerned with people who let their dogs wander the streets unsupervised on a regular basis.
“We’re not talking about the one-offs, the accidentals,” Scott said. “We’re talking about people that regularly allow their dogs to kind of roam free. We have to take a second look at that. We have to remind people that that’s unacceptable. It’s especially unacceptable if your animal is not well-behaved or an animal that’s prone to biting–or an animal with a high prey drive.”
Scott said that police intervention in pet-related incidents depends on many factors.
“It could be a situation where a dog has bitten someone. It could be a situation where a homeowner of a residence has a dog that is not secure that walks onto the property and they’re concerned about the safety of their family. We’re not cracking down so to speak on this. We’re just trying to enforce every unique situation the best we can,” Scott said.
The Haines Animal Rescue Kennel, or HARK, is under contract with the borough to provide animal control services in conjunction with the police department. While HARK provides animal control services, enforcing borough rules on dog ownership falls on the police. According to Scott, HARK may provide advice on how to deal with particularly troublesome dogs.
“For instance, let’s say we have a dog that has had one or two bites. Then we’re going to ask HARK professionals to assess that animal to make sure that animal is safe to be in the community,” Scott said.
HARK is the only organization providing care for dogs in the Haines Borough. It operates a shelter 24/7 which takes in roaming dogs that have been picked up by police or HARK staff.
Since there is no veterinary service in the Haines Borough, the organization also offers spay and neutering clinics. At the last clinic, staff treated 65 dogs.
HARK Director Tracy Mikowski says that much of their work focuses on education and outreach. Reuniting owners with their pets gives staff an opportunity to have a conversation about responsible care.
