Alas Cornwall Ontario has some very strange ideas about how to govern itself. Two years ago it was sending heavy machinery to destroy a families ice rink at Christmas.
Last year it was attacking kids selling worms and lemonade from their home.
Now in what has to be one of the most heavy handed and abusive acts this writer has ever seen, a city by law officer has issued a Vicious dog order when clearly no act has been done that could remotely be considered vicious to a reasonable person.
Virgil is an eight year old Alaskan Malmute with no previous history. His owner says that he has seen rabbits drinking out of Virgil’s bowl without an issue.
The order stemmed from an alleged incident of which itself indicts the person that leveled the complaint.
In May a woman was walking her dog past Virgil who was on a lead in the back yard that clearly did not reach the property line. The woman’s dog entered the property which led to some barking and apparently the woman fell down while retrieving her dog.
There was no bite to the woman or her dog, but bylaws in Cornwall clearly state that you have to have control of your dog and not to take your pet onto private property. Both the owner and his guest saw Virgil still on his lead when they came out to the commotion from different exits of the home.
Cornwall being Cornwall the owner received a call from the Eastern Ontario Health Unit TWELVE days after the event to issue a ten day quarantine order, and demand proof of rabies vaccinations. There was a certain irony to demanding this TWELVE days after the event, and possible negligence.
CFN attended and spoke with by law chief Chris Rogers. As clearly the by law order was utterly preposterous we were hoping someone simply had a bad day and that Mr. Rogers would rescind the order. At the counter he refused and was issued an official complaint by Virgil’s owner as well as an appeal to council which is the only remedy offered.
Rogers promised to get back with more info. After several tries and several more weeks Mr. Rogers said that there was a police report, but refused to give out the case or file number.
After attending Police head quarters in Cornwall the occurrence summary, while redacted, clearly stated:
Does not need medical attention.
So what Mr. Rogers had to review was an incident that had no vet or hospital report as nobody was injured, and a police summary that supported that, yet he supported and inflicted a vicious dog order which demands that the owner post signs to that effect as well as ordering fencing and a muzzling of poor Virgil who again, had no history and was eight years old.
This writer has met Virgil who essentially fits the term “Big Dumb Dog” perfectly. He’s a friendly brute without a mean bone in his body that has a history of playing with small dogs and children as well.
Loading ...Yet his owner now fears if any other incident occurs, accurately or not, that his dog might be put down by an abusive by law order. He’s also already lost days of work and time to deal with this situation and now faces expensive legal bills.
As well the by law officer and police are stating that he will have to file a Freedom of Information request to get the name of the party who issued the complaint so he can take possible legal action against her or file his own complaint.
All because of a clear case of abuse of process by Cornwall’s By Law office, and most likely a party that couldn’t control her own dog? Does that make sense? Is this what we want Cornwall to stand for?
As a dog owner myself I know this is a very scary scenario that clearly has to be resolved properly.
That the by law office has refused to do this is pause for concern as Mr. Rogers controls all by law procedures and not just those related to dogs, but also building codes.
What do you think dear CFN viewers? You can post your comments below.
More and more, it sounds like Cornwall is a good place not to live.
You ask “does it make sense”. Most people realize that when it comes to snow the city land adjacent to your property is an area that legally can be used by the property owner or dweller. Two winters ago I received a warning for following the by-law on snow placement. A warning for doing exactly what the by-law states is appropriate. Nothing surprises me about the mind set that runs Cornwall. Sad.
On a different note an individual from the same department advised me that the grass by-law governing height was unenforceable if the property owner said “stay off my property”. This means the by-law is another exercise in futility and does not serve the taxpayer or the community. Property standards? not in Cornwall. This department needs attention on several levels I believe.
David while we as a community made a huge step in replacing a mayor and five councilors at the last election it truly is time for a house cleaning on Pitt Street and that entails not only elected officials, but some city managers. It’s time to move forward instead of just raising taxes.
Sounds like the complainant should be charged with mischief.
City managers with too much power and this is what happens, The power goes to their heads and they think they are are the ultimate power to be. Petty politics at its best. Laws and rules gone too far. No one with an understanding or desire to work out an amicable solution. Jeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzz.
Seems to me that the real problem dog that was not under owners control should be investigated.That owner should get a action against her for causing all this mess, nobody outside Cornwall would even believe this to be true as it sounds more like something you would read in the Onion news
The dog in the photos was tied up in his back yard and a woman passing by had a dog that went off the leash or was off a leash and into someone’s yard and had no business going there. If the woman or her dog suffered any injury they had absolutely no business in that yard and the dog in the photos should be left alone since he was in the right of his own property and on a leash.
I love dogs and so does my husband and we patted a lab this morning and the dog was off the leash but very well behaved. My husband said to the lady this morning “better than human beings” and he says it all the time and I agree fully. I can spend my whole day with a dog and love it. Jamie you are a lucky man.
I can’t believe it Furtz is in agreement with me that Cornwall is not a place to live. I knew that since I was a child and wanted to get out by any means. Cornwall has more dogs on the loose and without its owner than those that are tied up in their yards or walking on leashes. Many good people left Cornwall because of its backward mentality and we spoke about that just this morning as well.
Jamie get me in there and I will clean house like you have never seen before. I can’t tolerate the lot of them and none make any sense whatsoever. The cops are as useless as can be and you know the name I gave them and it sticks and much much worse that you would not print it.
The one that should be fined is the woman who was walking by and her dog ran into the yard of the dog in question. I have said it for years that there are many people who should be put on a leash and their pets leading them where to go. So many brainless people that you would never believe. If people were intelligent they would never have allowed Cornhole to become what it is now.
I sometimes think about the Vincent family and how they are doing and a good family who did what they could for their kids and that of the street and were treated so horribly. The same with the Cadieux family – this is crazy. Cornhole is a very small town and kids have to be kids as long as they are safe and behaving. I don’t know what families would do living in these towers in the sky.
Jamie here is an article from Ottawa Citizen about the lemonade stand kids for you to read and for everyone. Egan: It starts with sorry, Lemonade stand saga reveals less sour NCC.
ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/egan-it-starts-with-sorry-lemonade-stand-saga-reveals-less-sour-ncc
Cornhole never apologized to the Cadieux kids. There are many laws here in Ottawa and these are only a few.
If you folks read the city allows only so many dogs on ones own property. You wouldn’t believe the by laws that exist here in Ottawa and they are well enforced. I find that NCC was in good standing with the Andrews family and apologized but there are rules. Cornhole is a joke and Jamie I would never return there at all. I would have to look for another small place if we were to move.
The lady should be charged with trespassing. She was the one that was not in control of her dog. It’s the lady’s dog that entered Virgil’s territory, who was on a lead. By-law officer should of investigated the situation better than what he did.
Jamie and folks I went on the Ottawa Sun and read this article. You should see the cost of a permit just for a child’s lemonade stand. Whewwww. Kids cannot be kids anymore and we wonder why all the crime. My God Almighty. Please read.
NCC waives fees ($1,500) for little girl’s lemonade stand
http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/07/05/ncc-waives-fees-1520-for-little-girls-lemonade-stand
Mary Bray is right. Nobody from outside of Cornhole wold believe such a story and that is true. You go to a civilized town or city and you don’t see or hear any of this nonsense. The woman walking by with her dog is responsible for all the mess and she must have had her dog off the leash unless she had a dog big enough to pull her around to the backyard of that house. A real trouble maker.
Jamie I have an update on the little girls here in Ottawa selling lemonade and there are conditions for you to read.
Lemonade, in both official languages; NCC grants permit for stand to kids, with conditions
http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/07/06/lemonade-in-both-official-languages-ncc-grants-permit-for-stand-to-kids-with-conditions
Jules Ottawa is doing it right. Kudos to the city for turning an embarrassment to good news.
Jamie we have a good mayor here in Ottawa and yes contrary to what some people think Mayor Watson is a good mayor. The children were on NCC property and not on their own and kids have to be kids but this is a good idea to put money towards charity and I approve of that 100% and well beyond. I wish that more people would see eye to eye on this one. I think it will teach kids responsibilities.
Jimbo Watson a “good” mayor? I guess that depends on how you define good. Watson is a control freak. And that is never “good” to have in a mayor.