Lethbridge Community Animal Services is urging residents to provide accurate information when reporting animals in need, warning that false reports can divert officers from legitimate calls and may lead to legal consequences.
The reminder follows an incident involving two young mixed-breed puppies reported wandering alone in the Garry Station neighbourhood earlier this month. According to officials, Community Animal Services officers took the animals to the Lethbridge Animal Shelter after receiving the report. Neither puppy had identification, officers found no owners nearby when they collected the animals and no missing-pet reports had been received.
The agency initially appealed to the public for information to help reunite the puppies with their owners. In an Oct. 13 update, it said enforcement officers had contacted the person who submitted the report.
Skyler Plourde, director of Community Animal Services, said the department could not share further details about the case because an officer remained in contact with the individuals involved.
Plourde said the incident reflects a recurring issue in which people attempt to rehome their own pets by reporting them as found strays.
Each report can require officers to investigate the circumstances, determine whether an animal was loose and search for its owner. When a report is misleading, that work can take time away from animals that are actually lost or require intervention.
Plourde said people may also take in animals from difficult situations before realizing they cannot provide the care needed. Rather than explaining their circumstances, some may give a misleading account in an attempt to get help.
While the department understands that people can face difficult circumstances, Plourde said fabricating a story is not the appropriate way to access assistance.
“If people have their own pets that they can’t care for anymore, or have found an animal somewhere that they think needs help, the best thing to do is just tell the truth,” Plourde said.
Community Animal Services can provide whatever assistance is available or connect residents with other organizations and resources better suited to their needs.
Plourde said providing false or misleading information can have consequences under the Criminal Code and the City of Lethbridge’s Animal Care and Control Bylaw. He said the Criminal Code’s public mischief provisions may apply when someone knowingly makes a false report in circumstances covered by the law, including reporting an offence that did not occur to prompt a peace officer to investigate.
He added that the municipal bylaw may also apply when someone obstructs an officer in the performance of their duties.
Plourde said incidents can be addressed through bylaw tickets, although the circumstances may warrant pursuing a matter as a criminal offence.
“We obviously don’t want to turn something into a criminal matter. So we can address it under the bylaw with tickets. But if the circumstances justified, it could be pursued as a criminal matter.”.
The two puppies involved in the incident reportedly remain in the care of Community Animal Services and are being assessed for adoption. Plourde said both animals are in good health and are expected to be adopted.
The puppies’ stay also illustrates how unnecessary intakes can limit the shelter’s ability to respond to other cases.
“They are occupying two kennels that we could use for animals that don’t have anywhere to go or are missing or lost or need to be seized through an investigation or something like that,” Plourde said.
Keeping animals in a shelter unnecessarily can also affect their well-being, particularly if their stay is prolonged, Plourde said. When owners can no longer care for their pets, direct rehoming or working with a foster-based rescue may be more appropriate.
Residents who can no longer care for a pet are encouraged to contact Community Animal Services directly and explain their situation. Staff can outline available options, including rehoming assistance, referrals to rescue organizations and financial support where available.
Plourde said accurate information helps staff identify appropriate solutions and reserve shelter space for animals that have nowhere else to go.
Even when Community Animal Services cannot provide a solution directly, staff can connect residents with appropriate resources while preserving shelter space for animals that genuinely need it, he said.
