POUND TAKING IN FEWER GROW-OP DOGS

The Vancouver city pound has noticed a huge drop in the number of dogs
being seized from marijuana grow-ops.

This year, the pound has only taken in 65 dogs from busts, down from an
estimated 300 last year.

Pound workers couldn't explain the decrease but Sgt. Rollie Woods of the
Vancouver police's drug squad said police are busting fewer grow-ops-about
100 fewer are expected this year than last year, which saw 650 busts.

"I'm noticing that our tips are down, that the grows are a little bit
harder to find and they are generally a little bit smaller in size," Woods
said.

Police rarely find owners at home when they raid a grow-op-they're arrested
later, or a warrant is issued. As a result, police ask the pound to put the
dogs under their care at a shelter.

After a dog is seized, the pound normally gives the owner seven days to
claim the animal before it's put up for adoption. Potential owners are told
of the animal's grow-op link.

In January, the pound's acting manager, Bob Cristofoli, told the Courier
the pound had seized about 300 dogs, mainly rottweilers and pit bulls, from
grow-ops. About 30 of those dogs were abused and another 150 were either
left chained or abandoned for long periods of time.

Since then, the pound has created a database to better track the number of
dogs seized from grow-ops.

About 90 per cent of the 65 dogs seized this year have been picked up by
their owners and the others have been adopted, said Morgan Choi, a
supervisor at the pound.

However, Diego, a 90-pound rottweiler cross seized in November 2001, still
needs a home. The black-and-tan pooch is the pound's longest-serving
resident and workers there don't know why somebody hasn't adopted him.

"It's probably because he's just another black and tan dog and a lot of
them get passed over by people and others just aren't interested in that
type of dog," said Amy Haines, a kennel attendant at the pound.

Haines doesn't believe Diego's history as a guard dog for a grow-op is
keeping him from a good home but said he is known to bark when people walk
by his kennel. But after living in a kennel for almost a year, it's only
normal for a dog to be protective of his territory, she said, adding that
once he's let out he's a "real sweetheart."

"He's a favourite of a lot of the volunteers. A lot of them really love
him, so sometimes he gets two or three walks a day. He gets spoiled," she
said, adding that he's housebroken, neutered and has had all his necessary
immunizations.

The health effect on dogs from a grow-op's chemicals and unsanitary living
conditions are difficult to determine but the crude wiring, poor
ventilation and possibility of booby traps are as dangerous for dogs as
they are for people.