POT GROWERS MISTREATING GUARD DOGS

The Vancouver city pound seized 300 dogs from marijuana growing operations
in 2001 during police raids, according to the pound's acting manager.

About 30 of those dogs, mainly rottweilers and pit bulls, were abused and
another 150 were either left chained or abandoned for lengthy periods of
time, said Bob Cristofoli. "Mistreatment to me is a dog left with no human
contact or human love-and we're seeing a lot of that."

He said grow-op owners used the dogs as weapons or deterrents. "So if
somebody comes by and hears a dog barking or sees a dog, then the owner
figures his pot must be somewhat safe."

Vancouver police busted about 600 grow-ops in 2001, barely denting the
city's underground drug industry of an estimated 10,000 grow-ops. Sgt.
Rollie Woods, head of the city's drug squad, said the squad coordinates its
raids with the city pound to avoid dog attacks on police officers and to
prevent the dogs from being harmed. Woods said most of the dogs aren't a
problem but some police have received minor bites.

"The dogs are usually scared spitless," he said.

"They don't know what the hell is going on. [A police raid is] nothing
they've ever encountered before. But the last thing the police want to do
is shoot a dog. The guys really do care. They're not worried about
discharging the bullet or anything like that... but I'm in a way surprised
that the guys don't want to hurt the dogs, they feel sorry for them."

Last week, Cristofoli said animal control officers seized a 175-pound
rottweiler named Bruno from a grow-op. He wasn't abused, but overfed and
had to be restrained with a neck loop to take him from the house.

The pound normally gives the owner seven days to claim his or her dog. Once
the seven days are up, the dog is put up for adoption with a potential new
owner being told of the animal's grow-op link. As of Thursday morning, no
one had claimed Bruno, now eligible for adoption.

"The guy might not get out of jail for a day or two and the dog has got to
relieve itself, it's got to eat, it's got to drink and here it will be able
to do that," Cristofoli said.

"A lot of times, the owners never show up."

Some of the more vicious dogs have been put down, but Cristofoli couldn't
provide numbers on how many were killed. He also didn't recall any cases in
2001 in which an owner had been charged under the city's animal control bylaw.

Woods said the owners are not on the premises during many of the raids.
Police will either arrest them later, issue a warrant for their arrest or
never find them. As a result, police ask the pound to put the dog under
their care at a shelter, Woods said.

"There's no way we're going to leave a dog in a house once we cut the
power," he said.

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

Woods can't recall police shooting a dog during a drug raid but said the
force's emergency response team has shot dangerous pit bulls in other
incidents. Police will use pepper spray in some situations, he said.

"We've gotten pretty good at dealing with dogs effectively, better than
years ago," he said, adding that surveillance before a raid usually
indicates whether a dog is on the premises. "We used to be involved in more
shootings with dogs 10 or 12 years ago. Now you never hear about it because
it just doesn't happen."

Police have also entered drug houses with prized fish, such as koi, inside.
The Vancouver Aquarium used to rescue the fish, but has stopped, Woods
said. "Not much you can do, you're not going to keep a policeman inside a
house guarding fish-on overtime."

As for other creatures police encounter: "There's lots of cockroaches, but
I don't think they're pets."

To adopt a dog, contact the city pound at 604-251-1325 or visit the kennel
at 1280 Raymur Ave., near Strathcona Park.