Dogged demand for dog's death costs B.C. district dearly
KELOWNA, B.C. - The court fight to decide the fate of a problem pooch in B.C.'s Central Okanagan has cost the regional district tens-of-thousands of dollars, and expenses continue to pile up.
A spokesman for the Central Okanagan Regional District estimates costs could top $100,000.
Bruce Smith says $54,000 had been billed by lawyers up to the end of December, and the cost of the appeal is expected to add about $20,000 to that total.
Diesel, a German shepherd, has been held at the pound for 22 months while the dog's owner fights an order to have the animal put down.
A provincial court judge ordered the dog destroyed last August, noting Peachland-area owner Dave Smith had been cited 13 times over four years for failing to control his aggressive pet.
An appeal of the ruling has now been heard in B.C. Supreme Court in Kelowna, with a decision on Diesel's fate expected within weeks. (CKFR)
