Court gives Yukon kennel owner more time to get rid of dogs

A Yukon kennel owner has been granted more time to get rid of dozens of dogs from her Tagish property.

Shelley Cuthbert was ordered by a Yukon Supreme Court justice last fall to shut down her kennel because it was a disturbance to her neighbours. She was given four months — until Feb. 11 — to get rid of all but two of her dogs. She now has 55.

She went back to court earlier this week asking for a stay on that order, at least until her appeal of the case is heard in May.

B.C. Court of Appeal Justice John James Lyon Hunter agreed to an amended stay. He delivered his decision by videoconference on Wednesday.

Cuthbert is now required to forfeit ten dogs to the Yukon government on Feb. 15, and then up to ten more each month until May. He also ordered a curfew for Cuthbert's dogs, requiring the animals to be kept indoors nightly from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

• Yukon kennel owner asks court for more time to surrender dogs

• 'I don't understand it': Yukon kennel owner vows fight to keep her dogs

​

'Things are in the works'

Speaking to reporters after Wednesday's decision, Cuthbert said she would kill her dogs before allowing the Yukon government to take them to the Mae Bachur animal shelter in Whitehorse.

"My dogs will never adjust to that type of environment, and I'm not putting them through that. That is inhumane, to put a dog with high anxiety into a caged environment," Cuthbert said.

"If it comes down to my decision to euthanize, it is my decision to make — based on the dog, and the best possible outcome for that dog."

She also insisted that she'll keep fighting for her dogs. She's pleased that her appeal will be heard in May, but says she's also making other plans.

"Things are in the works to ensure that the rescue stays open," Cuthbert said. "Whatever that looks like, we're hoping to have everything achieved by February 15."

She did not elaborate.